Health Services Management

The Profession

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Who They Are

Health services managers ensure the business operations of health care and health services organizations.

What They Do

Health services managers work in both clinical and nonclinical settings. They might specialize in managing a specific clinical area or department, a medical practice for a group of practitioners (e.g., physicians, dentists) or an entire facility. Many health services managers work in long-term care facilities, hospitals, clinics, government agencies, pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms, insurance providers, managed care organizations, and consulting firms.

Where They Work

Health services managers and administrators, direct, and coordinate medical and health services. They work on improving equity, quality and efficiency for increasing healthcare access, carrying out policies and procedures, controlling costs, implementing new technology, recruiting and retaining health care professionals, ensuring compliance with changing regulations, billing and reimbursement, and implementing innovative programs to improve the health of communities. Health services managers work in a variety of areas such as project management and consulting, health insurance benefits and enrollment, health information technology, healthcare marketing, pharmacy benefit management, provider network contracting, medical device and biomedical consulting or sales, and health policy and advocacy.

Outlook

Healthcare administration is growing much faster than average. Employment of health services managers is projected to grow 28 percent over the next decade, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 56,600 openings for medical and health services managers are projected each year, on average. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Education

The University of Minnesota offers an undergraduate bachelor of applied science degree in health services administration and a graduate masters degree in healthcare administration. 

Undergraduate students can pursue a bachelor of applied science degree in Health Services Management. This degree includes courses in leadership, health equity, finance, healthcare delivery systems,  management, human resources, economics, and more. Students also complete an internship as part of the HSM program. Interested students who have completed some college credit can apply for the major. A minor in health services management is also available for those students wishing to minor in HSM.

Students interested in graduate programs can choose to complete a Master of Healthcare Administration, or MHA. This 21 month program involves business courses specifically designed for the unique aspects of healthcare. Students in the program can decide to take on a subspecialty in financial management, long term care administration, health policy, information and decision science, marketing management, maternal and child health, operations management, strategic management, or health products. Students in the program also complete a nine week residency over the summer.

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