Career Opportunities in Health Care Administration
As a result of the transformation taking place in the healthcare system, career options for healthcare executives are becoming more diverse. Increasingly, positions for healthcare executives may be found in a wide variety of settings such as:
- Ambulatory care facilities
- Consulting firms
- Clinics
- Healthcare associations
- Health insurance organizations
- Home health agencies
- Hospices
- Hospitals and hospital systems
- Integrated delivery systems
- Long-term care facilities
- Managed care organizations (such as HMOs and PPOs)
- Medical group practices
- Mental health organizations
- Nursing homes
- Physician practices
- Public health departments
- Rehabilitation centers
- Skilled nursing facilities
- University or research institutions
If you choose a career in healthcare management, your first job might be an entry-level to mid-level management position in a specialized area, such as:
- Finance
- Government relations
- Human resources
- Information systems
- Marketing and public affairs
- Materials management (purchasing of equipment and supplies)
- Medical staff relations
- Nursing administration
- Patient care services
- Planning and development
Acute care career
Acute care involves assessing and treating sudden or unexpected injuries and illnesses. Acute care facilities, typically general or specialty hospitals, provide care for patients who have sustained life-threatening injuries or who have conditions that may lead to deteriorating health status.
Managed care career
The term "managed care" describes healthcare systems assembled specifically to deliver services in ways that improve quality and control costs. Executives in the managed care field often describe themselves as working in "the insurance business" even though the field encompasses more than insurance operations.
Managed Care |
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Titles |
Hours |
Salary |
|
Entry-level |
Marketing Assistants, Operating Assistants, Provider Reps, and Accountants |
40-50 hours per week |
$30,000 - $50,000 |
Mid-level |
Directors of Marketing and Sales, Department Managers, Case Managers, Managers of ancillary services, Contract Specialists, and Controllers |
45-55 hours per week |
$55,000 - $75,000 |
Senior-level |
Chief Executive Officers, Chief Operating Officers, Chief Financial Officers, Senior Vice Presidents for marketing and sales, Vice Presidents for contract management and negotiations, Vice Presidents for regional clinical services, and Vice Presidents for managed care. |
70 hours or more per week |
$150,000 - $250,00 |
Acute Care |
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Titles |
Hours |
Salary |
|
Entry-level |
Managers, Finance Analyst, Marketing & Operations, Project Coordinator, Planners, Administrative fellows or residents. |
51-55 hours per week |
$40,000 - $60,000 |
Mid-level |
Assistant Directors of ancillary services, Assistant Vice Presidents, Assistant Administrators, Vice Presidents. |
55-60 hours per week |
$65,000 - $110,000 |
Senior-level |
Chief Executive Officers, Chief Financial Officers, Chief Operating Officers, Chief Information Officers |
60 hours or more per week |
$130,000 - $190,000 |