During 2020, healthcare workers of all kinds have justifiably reached hero-status.

Yet, there’s more to healthcare than surgeries, complicated diagnoses, and treatments. 

Many important jobs in this industry happen out of the limelight. They occur in the proverbial trenches of administration and financial work.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the outlook for jobs in healthcare management should grow by 32% before 2029. That’s more than the outlook for physicians, which should increase in line with the national average of 4%.

Are you interested in healthcare but a little squeamish about the hands-on details? A career in healthcare management could be a good fit for you. 

Sound interesting? Find out more about healthcare management and whether one of these fulfilling positions appeals to you.

What Is Healthcare Management? 

Health care managers and administrators manage the daily operation of health care facilities. They’re trained to manage the unique situations that arise in these facilities and keep things running smoothly.

There are three main levels of healthcare management qualifications. These are:

• Associate Degree in Healthcare Management

• Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Management

• MBA in Healthcare Management Management

All healthcare facilities across the country need healthcare managers. As such, there are many varied positions available in this field.  

Assisted Living Facility Health Care Manager or Administrator

Assisted living facilities play an important role in the lives of aging people.

These facilities are a haven of personal care for elderly folks who need help with daily tasks. These include meals, bathing, dressing, transportation, and medication management.

Some of them are large busy communities. Others offer more intimate, private surroundings.

Folks who choose to live in these facilities usually need a helping hand rather than intense medical care or supervision.

In these settings, the healthcare manager ensures they get what they need when they need it by:

• Supervising the staff in charge

• Taking stock of supplies

• Making sure the bills get paid

• Overseeing the general running of the facility  

They rarely deal with any of the hands-on tasks, especially in larger facilities. 

Health Care Clinic Health Care Manager or Administrator

Health care clinics are another abundant source of full-time healthcare management jobs. There are many different kinds of clinics that might employ a healthcare manager. These include public health clinics, nursing homes, physicians’ offices, and chiropractic clinics.

In these settings, your daily routine could include:

• HR functions

• Creating work schedules

• Managing financial aspects and reporting

• Maintaining clinic facilities in good order

• Marketing  

• Policy implementations

• Overseeing billing

Clinics are also a good place to look for entry-level healthcare management positions. 

Emergency Medical Services Facility Health Care Manager 

Emergency Medical Services Administrators and managers perform a vital role in their organizations. They ensure that resources are always available to assist community members in need.

The job involves ensuring ambulances and emergency personnel are always ready for action. EMS managers also take charge of synchronizing communications to maximize resources.

These healthcare management jobs are high-pressured but highly rewarding too. 

Ambulatory Health Care Facility Health Care Manager or Administrator

Ambulatory care facilities provide diagnostic, preventive, direct treatment to patients. Patients usually arrive at the facility for a consultation. They receive treatment and leave the same day.

At an ambulatory surgical facility, the patient could also have a surgery or other procedure. For instance, dialysis usually takes place in this setting. These facilities are busy and rely on the services of health care managers to keep things in order.

More than a quarter of healthcare managers in the USA work at these types of facilities.

Pharmaceutical Jobs in Healthcare Management 

The pharmaceutical industry employs healthcare managers in two separate capacities.

Healthcare managers oversee new product development or changes made to existing products. These projects include managing teams, setting targets, and assigning tasks.

They also perform the following functions during the process:

• Reporting

• Managing timelines, budgets, and risks

• Interacting with clients

• Managing error reports, documentation, and data

Quality managers oversee all the systems within a pharmaceutical company. Their main task is to ensure that drugs comply with regulations.

Their main aim is to ensure the production of good quality pharmaceutical samples. This means implementing strict SOPs, reviewing, and approving documents.

Quality managers must conduct internal audits and must satisfy external audits. Some of their roles include: 

• Maintaining testing records

• Reporting on test results

• Development of testing procedures

• Training, supervising, and evaluating team members

• Problem resolution

Health Care Management Consultant

Health care consultants help healthcare organizations in any facet of the industry. They work with all healthcare institutions to help streamline their procedures and set up systems. 

They’re held in high regard due to their wide range of industry expertise.

These professionals are especially valuable to small facilities that don’t have the budget to hire a manager. 

Often healthcare consultants assist with one-off special projects. They might also step in to help with forecasting and data analysis.

A day in the life of a healthcare management consultant could include:

• Entering new facilities and observing their operations

• Advising on relevant systems and procedures

• Training employees

Healthcare management consultants work for various clients simultaneously. So, they stay up to date with many facets of the industry at once.

All their clients benefit from this wide experience.

Healthcare management consulting is one of the most diverse jobs in this field.

Need More Career Inspiration?

Are you not convinced that jobs in healthcare management are your cup of tea? There are plenty of other people-oriented careers that might appeal to you.

Why not take a look at our articles on careers in education or alternative medicine instead? Our blog has plenty of informative topics that might appeal to your interests. Keep reading.