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Medical and Health Services Managers

Summary

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Video transcript available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmh01pXYn5I.
Quick Facts: Medical and Health Services Managers
2023 Median Pay $110,680 per year
$53.21 per hour
Typical Entry-Level Education Bachelor's degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation Less than 5 years
On-the-job Training None
Number of Jobs, 2023 562,700
Job Outlook, 2023-33 29% (Much faster than average)
Employment Change, 2023-33 160,600

What Medical and Health Services Managers Do

Medical and health services managers plan, direct, and coordinate the business activities of healthcare providers.

Work Environment

Most medical and health services managers work in healthcare facilities, including hospitals and nursing homes, and group medical practices. Most work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week.

How to Become a Medical or Health Services Manager

Medical and health services managers typically need a bachelor’s degree to enter the occupation; however, education requirements may vary. Prospective managers also typically need work experience in an administrative or clinical role in a hospital or other healthcare facility.

Pay

The median annual wage for medical and health services managers was $110,680 in May 2023.

Job Outlook

Employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 29 percent from 2023 to 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 61,400 openings for medical and health services managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

State & Area Data

Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for medical and health services managers.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of medical and health services managers with similar occupations.

More Information, Including Links to O*NET

Learn more about medical and health services managers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.

What Medical and Health Services Managers Do About this section

Medical and health services managers
In group medical practices, medical and health services managers work closely with physicians.

Medical and health services managers, also called healthcare executives or healthcare administrators, plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health services. They may manage an entire facility, a specific clinical area or department, or a medical practice for a group of physicians. Medical and health services managers must adapt to changes in healthcare laws, regulations, and technology.

Duties

Medical and health services managers typically do the following:

  • Develop goals and objectives related to efficiency and quality of healthcare services
  • Ensure that the facility in which they work complies with laws and regulations
  • Prepare and monitor budgets and manage finances, including patient fees and billing
  • Recruit, train, and supervise staff members
  • Create work schedules
  • Represent the facility or department at investor meetings or on governing boards
  • Keep and organize records of facility services, such as the number of inpatient beds used

Medical and health services managers set and carry out policies, goals, and procedures for their departments or facilities. Their duties include hiring, scheduling, and evaluating staff; monitoring compliance with state and federal guidelines; and developing reports and budgets. Responsibilities may vary by employer. For example, managers of large facilities may focus on broad oversight, while tasks for those in small departments might include ordering medical supplies and materials.

Medical and health services managers work with physicians and surgeons, registered nursesmedical records specialists, and other healthcare personnel. They also may interact with patients or insurance agents.

Medical and health services managers’ titles depend on their facility or area of expertise. 

The following are examples of types of medical and health services managers:

Nursing home administrators manage all aspects of a facility, including admissions and building maintenance, as well as care of its residents.

Clinical managers oversee a department, such as intensive care or physical therapy, and have responsibilities based on that specialty.

Health information managers ensure that databases of patient records are complete, accurate, and accessible only to authorized personnel.

Work Environment About this section

Medical and health services managers
Some medical and health services managers oversee facilities.

Medical and health services managers held about 562,700 jobs in 2023. The largest employers of medical and health services managers were as follows:

Hospitals; state, local, and private 30%
Offices of physicians 12
Nursing and residential care facilities 9
Government 7
Outpatient care centers 7

Medical and health services managers may work on a team with other healthcare providers, such as licensed practical nurses and medical assistants.

Injuries and Illnesses

Medical and health services managers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. Injuries may occur due to incidents such as slips, falls, and overexertion. Workers reduce the risk of injury by following safety procedures and practices, such as wearing shoes with slip-resistant soles and using proper lifting technique.

Work Schedules

Most medical and health services managers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Evening or weekend work may be required in healthcare settings that operate around the clock, such as hospitals and nursing homes. Medical and health services managers may need to be on call in case of emergencies.

How to Become a Medical or Health Services Manager About this section

Medical and health services managers
Medical and health services managers must effectively communicate policies and procedures with other health professionals.

Medical and health services managers typically need a bachelor’s degree to enter the occupation; however, educational requirements vary by facility and specific function. Prospective managers also typically need work experience in an administrative or clinical role in a hospital or other healthcare facility.

Education

Medical and health services managers typically need a bachelor's degree to enter the occupation, although requirements may vary. For example, some employers hire candidates with an associate’s degree; others prefer to hire those with a master’s degree. Work experience sometimes may substitute for education.  

Common majors for medical and health services managers include healthcare and related fields, such as health administration or nursing, or other relevant fields, such as business. Degrees that focus on both management and healthcare combine business-related topics with those such as medical terminology, hospital organization, and health information systems. For example, a degree in health administration or health information management may include courses in health services management, accounting and budgeting, and health informatics.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Employers may require prospective medical and health services managers to have work experience in either an administrative or a clinical role in a hospital or other healthcare facility. For example, nursing home administrators may have years of experience working as a registered nurse.

Other managers may begin their careers as medical records specialists, administrative assistants, or financial clerks in a healthcare office.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Some medical and health services managers need a state-issued license. For example, all states require licensure for nursing home administrators; requirements vary by state. For more information, contact your local or state licensing board.

Some positions may require candidates to be licensed as a registered nurse or social worker.

Although certification is not required, some managers choose to earn a professional credential. For example, the American Health Information Management Association and the Project Management Institute offer certification specific to their areas of focus.

Advancement

Some health information managers advance by taking on additional responsibilities, such as for an entire hospital’s information systems. Other managers may advance to top executive positions within an organization. Advancement to top level executive positions may require a master’s degree.

Important Qualities

Analytical skills. Medical and health services managers review and evaluate healthcare metrics for ways to improve efficiency and meet goals.

Communication skills. Medical and health services managers must convey information to their staff, other healthcare workers, and, sometimes, patients and insurance agents.

Detail oriented. Medical and health services managers must pay attention to detail. They might be required to organize and maintain scheduling and billing information for very large facilities, such as hospitals.

Leadership skills. Medical and health services managers hire, train, and direct staff. They must be able to motivate others and create an environment in which workers can succeed.

Technical skills. Medical and health services managers must stay up to date with advances in healthcare technology, such as the coding and electronic health record (EHR) systems their facility adopts.

Pay About this section

Medical and Health Services Managers

Median annual wages, May 2023

Medical and health services managers

$110,680

Other management occupations

$102,510

Total, all occupations

$48,060

 

The median annual wage for medical and health services managers was $110,680 in May 2023. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $67,900, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $216,750.

In May 2023, the median annual wages for medical and health services managers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Hospitals; state, local, and private $128,740
Government 125,590
Outpatient care centers 104,710
Offices of physicians 102,360
Nursing and residential care facilities 97,490

Most medical and health services managers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Evening or weekend work may be required in healthcare settings that operate around the clock, such as hospitals and nursing homes. Medical and health services managers may need to be on call in case of emergencies.

Job Outlook About this section

Medical and Health Services Managers

Percent change in employment, projected 2023-33

Medical and health services managers

29%

Other management occupations

6%

Total, all occupations

4%

 

Employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 29 percent from 2023 to 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 61,400 openings for medical and health services managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

As the large baby-boom population enters older age groups, which typically experience more health problems, there should be increased demand for healthcare services. This means there will be greater need for physicians and other healthcare workers, medical procedures, and healthcare facilities, and therefore greater need for managers to organize and oversee medical information and healthcare staff. These managers are important for improving care coordination, which is key in team-based care.

In addition, widespread use of electronic health records (EHRs) will continue to create demand for managers with knowledge of health information technology (IT) and informatics systems. Medical and health services managers will be needed to organize, oversee, and integrate these records across areas of the healthcare industry.

Employment projections data for medical and health services managers, 2023-33
Occupational Title SOC Code Employment, 2023 Projected Employment, 2033 Change, 2023-33 Employment by Industry
Percent Numeric

SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program

Medical and health services managers

11-9111 562,700 723,300 29 160,600 Get data

State & Area Data About this section

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area.

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.org. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

Similar Occupations About this section

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of medical and health services managers.

Occupation Job Duties ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION Help on Entry-Level Education 2023 MEDIAN PAY Help on Median Pay
Administrative services managers Administrative Services and Facilities Managers

Administrative services and facilities managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities that help an organization run efficiently.

Bachelor's degree $104,900
Computer and information systems managers Computer and Information Systems Managers

Computer and information systems managers plan, coordinate, and direct computer-related activities in an organization.

Bachelor's degree $169,510
Financial managers Financial Managers

Financial managers create financial reports, direct investment activities, and develop plans for the long-term financial goals of their organization.

Bachelor's degree $156,100
Health information technologists and medical registrars Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars

Health information technologists and medical registrars advise organizations on computerized healthcare systems and analyze clinical data.

Associate's degree $62,990
Human resources managers Human Resources Managers

Human resources managers plan, coordinate, and direct the administrative functions of an organization.

Bachelor's degree $136,350
Medical records and health information technicians Medical Records Specialists

Medical records specialists compile, process, and maintain patient files.

Postsecondary nondegree award $48,780
Purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents Purchasing Managers, Buyers, and Purchasing Agents

Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations. Purchasing managers oversee the work of buyers and purchasing agents.

Bachelor's degree $77,180
Registered nurses Registered Nurses

Registered nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care and educate patients and the public about various health conditions.

Bachelor's degree $86,070
Social and community service managers Social and Community Service Managers

Social and community service managers coordinate and supervise programs and organizations that support public well-being.

Bachelor's degree $77,030
Top executives Top Executives

Top executives plan strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals.

Bachelor's degree $103,840

Contacts for More Information About this section

For more information about medical and healthcare management, visit

Professional Association of Health Care Office Management

American Health Information Management Association

American College of Health Care Administrators

For more information about academic programs in this field, visit

Association of University Programs in Health Administration

Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education

For information about career opportunities in healthcare management, visit

American College of Healthcare Executives

For information about career opportunities in medical group practices and ambulatory care management, visit

Medical Group Management Association

For more information about licensure and training requirements for nursing home and assisted-living facility administrators, visit

National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards

For more information about project management certification, visit

Project Management Institute

O*NET

Medical and Health Services Managers

Suggested citation:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical and Health Services Managers,
at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm (visited September 27, 2024).

Last Modified Date: Thursday, August 29, 2024

What They Do

The What They Do tab describes the typical duties and responsibilities of workers in the occupation, including what tools and equipment they use and how closely they are supervised. This tab also covers different types of occupational specialties.

Work Environment

The Work Environment tab includes the number of jobs held in the occupation and describes the workplace, the level of physical activity expected, and typical hours worked. It may also discuss the major industries that employed the occupation. This tab may also describe opportunities for part-time work, the amount and type of travel required, any safety equipment that is used, and the risk of injury that workers may face.

How to Become One

The How to Become One tab describes how to prepare for a job in the occupation. This tab can include information on education, training, work experience, licensing and certification, and important qualities that are required or helpful for entering or working in the occupation.

Pay

The Pay tab describes typical earnings and how workers in the occupation are compensated—annual salaries, hourly wages, commissions, tips, or bonuses. Within every occupation, earnings vary by experience, responsibility, performance, tenure, and geographic area. For most profiles, this tab has a table with wages in the major industries employing the occupation. It does not include pay for self-employed workers, agriculture workers, or workers in private households because these data are not collected by the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, the source of BLS wage data in the OOH.

State & Area Data

The State and Area Data tab provides links to state and area occupational data from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, state projections data from Projections Central, and occupational information from the Department of Labor's CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The Job Outlook tab describes the factors that affect employment growth or decline in the occupation, and in some instances, describes the relationship between the number of job seekers and the number of job openings.

Similar Occupations

The Similar Occupations tab describes occupations that share similar duties, skills, interests, education, or training with the occupation covered in the profile.

Contacts for More Information

The More Information tab provides the Internet addresses of associations, government agencies, unions, and other organizations that can provide additional information on the occupation. This tab also includes links to relevant occupational information from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET).

2023 Median Pay

The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. In May 2023, the median annual wage for all workers was $48,060.

On-the-job Training

Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.

Entry-level Education

Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.

Work experience in a related occupation

Work experience that is commonly considered necessary by employers, or is a commonly accepted substitute for more formal types of training or education.

Number of Jobs, 2023

The employment, or size, of this occupation in 2023, which is the base year of the 2023-33 employment projections.

Job Outlook, 2023-33

The projected percent change in employment from 2023 to 2033. The average growth rate for all occupations is 4 percent.

Employment Change, 2023-33

The projected numeric change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

Entry-level Education

Typical level of education that most workers need to enter this occupation.

On-the-job Training

Additional training needed (postemployment) to attain competency in the skills needed in this occupation.

Employment Change, projected 2023-33

The projected numeric change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

Growth Rate (Projected)

The percent change of employment for each occupation from 2023 to 2033.

Projected Number of New Jobs

The projected numeric change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

Projected Growth Rate

The projected percent change in employment from 2023 to 2033.

2023 Median Pay

The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. In May 2023, the median annual wage for all workers was $48,060.