Healthcare Management Careers: Explore Opportunities at Every Level

Health Information Technician

A health information technician oversees the storage, organization, and protection of digital patient health records. Technicians work to ensure the accuracy of patient data, code treatments for billing purposes, and liaise with insurance companies. They also ensure that facilities and patient records are HIPPA-compliant. Entry-level health information technician positions usually require an associate degree, but some employers may also require candidates to hold a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) credential from the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Technicians looking to specialize may consider positions like medical records coder.

Average Salary: $46,866

Medical Office Manager

Medical officer managers work behind the scenes to make sure everything in their clinic, office, or department runs smoothly. Medical office managers are often in charge of hiring, overseeing, and retaining staff, budgeting, and day-to-day operations. They need good organizational and leadership skills and should have an associate degree, although it doesn’t necessarily need to be in the medical field — an associate or bachelor’s degree in business administration could also prepare you to take on a medical office manager position. Obtaining the Certified Medical Office Manager (CMOM) or Certified Medical Manager (CMM) credentials can also help you stand out.

Average Salary: $52,913

Medical Secretary

A medical secretary performs a variety of clerical and administrative tasks. The position requires candidates to have a good grasp of medical terminology and, in some offices, knowledge of billing procedures. Medical secretaries are most often employed by physician’s offices, hospitals/surgical centers, and dental offices. Duties may vary, but often include answering phones, greeting patients, scheduling appointments, maintaining records, handling correspondence, making referrals, and processing insurance claims. An associate degree is often required, but it is possible to land the role after completing a medical secretary certificate program.

Average Salary: $44,042

Chief Nursing Officer

The Chief Nursing Officer, sometimes called the Vice President of Nursing or Chief Nurse Executive, manages a health organization’s nursing staff. Since the role is primarily administrative, chief nursing officers do not interact much with patients; instead, their main duties include hiring and onboarding nursing staff, integrating new medical technologies, managing budgets and finances, and ensuring treatment plans are implemented. Chief Nursing Officers also serve as liaisons between the nursing staff and other top-level administrators. Most Chief Nursing Officers are Registered Nurses (RNs) with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Some organizations may prefer to hire candidates who also have a master’s degree.

Average Salary: $257,780

Healthcare Department Manager

A healthcare department manager oversees the staff and finances of a specific department in a hospital or clinic. For example, the manager of an Emergency Department would oversee the day-to-day operations, budgeting, and staffing of that department. Required education and experience can vary depending on the size of the department, but successful candidates should hold at least a bachelor’s degree in nursing as well as a valid nursing license. Department managers should also have prior leadership experience and excellent organizational skills.

Average Salary: $106,433

Healthcare Finance Manager

A healthcare finance manager supervises the day-to-day finances and budgets of a hospital, clinic, or physician’s office. Day-to-day duties may include reviewing contracts, creating financial reports, evaluating compensation, creating financial policies, planning investments, and creating budgets. They also ensure that the facility is operating in accordance with its long-term financial goals. Depending on their experience and the size of the facility, a bachelor’s degree may be sufficient. However, some competitive positions may require a master’s degree in finance or a certified public accountant (CPA) license.

Average Salary: $131,753

Medical Records Manager

The responsibilities of a medical records manager overlap somewhat with those of a health information technician, however this position is more advanced and requires additional education, fetches a higher salary, and involves managing staff. A bachelor’s degree is required, usually with a concentration in health information technology. Common duties include preparing and organizing patient charts and documents, storing and protecting paperwork and electronic records, ensuring that the facility is compliant with HIPAA standards, supervising staff and anyone with access to sensitive information, maintaining the facility’s databases, and processing invoices.

Average Salary: $104,017

Chief Clinical Transformation Officer

A Chief Clinical Transformation Officer (CCTO) is a C-suite level position that guides an organization towards its short- and long-term goals. In this administrative role you may work toward improving the overall patient experience, enhancing quality and safety of care, and streamlining operations. Candidates often have a clinical background, e.g. doctors and nurses, but are usually well-versed in business administration as well. Successful CCTO’s have a Master’s in Public Health or a Master’s in Business Administration.

Average Salary: $151,203

Healthcare Consultant

A healthcare consultant works with healthcare organizations to improve efficiency, streamline operations, and ensure patients receive the best care. They may work with a hospital or clinic on an on-going basis or be brought in to advise on short-term projects like mergers. They often analyze an organization’s finances and processes and make recommendations for improvements. They often help implement those suggestions and track metrics. Healthcare consultants may specialize in a certain area such as finance, marketing, regulatory compliance, or operations.

Average Salary: $89,986

Medical and Health Services Manager

The responsibilities of medical and health services managers, also called healthcare executives or healthcare administrators, may vary; some managers oversee a specific medical department while others manage an entire facility. In general, medical and health services managers create financial reports and budgets, supervise hiring and scheduling of staff, ensure regulatory compliance, and create policies for patient care. To become a healthcare executive at the highest levels — e.g. at a hospital or health insurance company — you should have a master’s degree. An MBA in Healthcare Management, for example, is tailored toward individuals seeking a high level position like this one.

Average Salary: $104,830

Follow Up After Interviews

As important as your interview is, it’s sometimes what you do after the interview that can make all the difference. Following up with an email within 1-2 days shows you are enthusiastic about the job and gives you the chance to reiterate your qualifications or address any issues that came up during the interview.

Highlight Your Leadership Skills

If you’ve held leadership positions in the past, make sure you highlight that in your resume and interview. And if you haven’t held an official leadership role, emphasize skills that would transfer well to one. Do you have strong organizational skills and sound decision making? Are you a top-notch communicator? Use strong action verbs and examples to describe how you can apply these skills that in a healthcare management setting.

Leverage Your Experience

Leveraging your experience is key whether you’re applying for an entry level job, moving laterally, or changing industries. Make sure your resume and cover letter include all relevant experience, including internships and volunteer positions. Show how you took on extra responsibilities and grew in your position.

Negotiate Your Salary

If you receive a job offer, take a moment before automatically accepting it. Research the average salary for the position, and make note of any qualities, education, or experience you can leverage to negotiate a higher starting salary. Approach negotiations by balancing the value you can bring to the organization and your financial needs.

Network, Network, Network

Whether you’re actively job searching or not, maintaining a professional network is important. Many professional opportunities come from personal relationships, so attending industry events, joining professional organizations, and connecting with mentors can be a good use of time and energy. If you’re not sure where to begin, consider sending an email to a former colleague or professor or post a professional update on LinkedIn.

Write (and Tailor) the Perfect Application

Even if you’re applying for many similar positions, you should always adjust your resume, cover letter, and other application materials to the specific job you are applying to. If possible, use the hiring manager’s name in the cover letter and highlight how your specific skills and experience specifically match those in the job description.