How to Become a Medical and Health Services Manager

Medical and health services managers plan, direct and coordinate medical and health services in a broad variety of healthcare settings. In brief, they make sure medical services can be delivered with optimal efficiency, patient safety and profitability. 

Careers in health services management are available in many settings, including hospitals, health systems, physicians’ offices, large group medical practices, outpatient clinics, mental health facilities, long-term and managed care facilities and nursing and retirement homes.

In a hospital, for example, medical and health services managers may oversee an entire facility or a specific clinical area or department. In a medical practice, depending upon the size and scope of the organization, they may function as the practice administrator or lead a department. As a role that combines knowledge of medical services and public health with skills in business administration, they work closely with physicians, surgeons, nurses, laboratory and clinical technicians and other healthcare professionals. They may also interact with insurance companies or other payers who operate in the healthcare revenue cycle.

The demand for medical and health services managers is expected to remain strong over the next decade. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 28% on a national level through 2031.¹ This growth rate is much faster than the average for all occupations. About 56,000 job openings in this occupation are projected each year over this period.

According to BLS occupational outlook data, two major factors are driving this demand:

As noted by the BLS, the typical duties of medical and health services managers include:

The titles held by medical and health services managers vary widely according to the type of facility in which they work, the size of the organization and their area of expertise. Here are a few examples of common health services management job titles:

Administrative services managers are responsible for the direction and coordination of administrative services in a care facility. Their overall goal is to achieve maximum administrative efficiency. Some of their duties might include allocating supplies, supervising payroll, record keeping, hiring and onboarding of personnel and maintaining facilities.

Typically working under the supervision of a healthcare facility’s administrator, the assistant administrator works to outline, manage and oversee the administration of care. As the job title implies, the assistant administrator’s primary responsibility is to assist the facility administrator or director in the planning, coordination and supervision necessary to ensure the smooth and efficient delivery of services. In a hospital, for example, there may be several assistant administrators who are responsible for overseeing one or more departments within the facility.

Business office supervisors oversee all activities in a healthcare facility’s business office. They look for ways to improve efficiency in the way the office’s regular tasks are completed and recommend changes in procedures where they see the need for improvement. Their duties may involve assisting with the hiring process, preparing work schedules, addressing patient concerns, troubleshooting and problem solving with regard to daily business office operations and participating in gathering data for financial reporting.

Health services managers plan the execution and coordination of healthcare services being provided at a care facility. Depending upon the facility’s size, they may be in charge of the entire facility or a specific area or department within it. In some cases, they manage large group medical practices.

Typical duties of the health services manager may include managing daily operations, hiring and training new employees, ensuring their facility or department is compliant with state regulations, guiding various teams through individual projects and communicating with insurance carriers.

Medical office managers oversee the operations of a physician’s practice or healthcare facility. Their responsibilities may include hiring and training administrative staff, evaluating staff performance, staff scheduling and establishing the business office’s policies and procedures at a care facility. Tasks like managing vendors and overseeing the purchase and installation of new equipment also may fall under the direction of the medical office manager. 

The skills and qualifications for medical and health services managers will vary somewhat according to the specific role or position, as well as the type and size of the healthcare facility doing the hiring. 

For the position of medical office manager, for example, the employment website Indeed offers a partial list of skills and qualifications that candidates might see during their job search:

If you are preparing to pursue a career in medical and health services management, it’s important to know that while job titles and job requirements are not standardized across the healthcare industry, there are some general requirements for education, experience and certifications. These will vary according to the job roles you pursue and the type of healthcare facilities or organizations doing the hiring, but here is a basic list to help you get started:

According to Indeed, some employers may require candidates for medical and health services manager positions to have a post-secondary education. For this reason, the first step along your career path may be to earn a bachelor’s degree. A Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Administration, for example, can help you to build a broad range of skills and gain a greater understanding of the business and management side of healthcare.

Undergraduate students can gain experience through internships, such as working as an entry-level administrator in a variety of settings. These may include community health centers, outpatient clinics, hospitals, residential care facilities or private practices. Internships, according to Indeed, can help you gain important work experience and introduce you to many aspects of what it’s like to work in a particular industry while allowing you to more fully explore your interests and identify your career goals.

Health administration professionals who’ve earned a bachelor’s degree and gained some industry experience may want to pursue higher-level positions in medical and health services management by earning a master’s degree. Coursework in our MBA with a Health Services Specialization can build on your skillset by examining the legal and ethical issues in healthcare, health insurance trends, finance and more. You’ll explore many of the high-level issues facing healthcare economics and public policy today as you prepare to pursue senior-level careers in administrative services management, health or medical services management, regulatory affairs and compliance.

Although certification is not a requirement, industry-recognized certifications may help you position yourself favorably against other candidates. 

The Professional Association of Health Care Office Management (PAHCOM), for example, offers the Certified Medical Manager (CMM) credential. CMM candidates must have at least 2 years of work experience in the healthcare industry in support of patient care and 12 post-secondary education credits related to healthcare or management. 

Other certifications include:

Working in a fast-paced environment with patients, medical professionals, staff, payers and others, effective medical and health services managers need to be able to balance their day-to-day tasks with well-developed interpersonal skills. According to LinkedIn, having certain soft skills like these can give you an advantage: