Professionals who want to move into healthcare administration often get their master of health administration or MHA degree. This advanced degree provides you with the skills and knowledge to manage small, medium and large health care facilities, including hospitals and nursing homes. With the growing demand for healthcare services in our aging country, this job sector will grow strongly in the next decade.
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If you are considering this degree, below are some of the most popular career options with an MHA:
#1 Medical and Health Service Manager
A medical and health service manager is the most popular career option for people with an MHA. A medical and health services manager is responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating medical and health services. Medical and health service managers may be responsible for the management of an entire facility, a particular department of that facility, or a medical practice of doctors.
Medical and health service managers have the following duties:
- Develop appropriate goals and objectives for the healthcare department
- Enhance the efficiency and quality in the delivery of healthcare services
- Ensure the medical facility in which they are working is up to date and fully compliant with state and federal regulations
- Handle the recruitment, training, and supervision of staff members
- Oversee the finances of the medical facility, including billing and patient fees
- Monitor and prepare budgets and spending to make sure departments are operating within their funding levels
The medical and health services manager role is a prevalent career option for professionals with an MHA degree because job demand is expected to soar by 20% through 2026, which is much faster than average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median salary is $98,350.
#2 Nursing Home Manager
A nursing home manager or administrator is responsible for the oversight of the day to day operations of homes that house and care for the elderly. They are mainly responsible for the administration of caregivers who work there, as well as the organization of the facility’s activities. It also is essential for them to meet with family members who want to admit a parent or relative to the nursing home.
A nursing home manager also maintains relationships with the families of residents and may need to set up appointments to inform them of how their loved ones are progressing during their stay.
Nursing home managers must have a license to work in this position in their state of residence. They work closely with a wide range of professionals, such as caregivers, medical directors, nurses, head nurses, all of which to ensure that each resident is getting the best possible care. In a large nursing home, there could be several managers who head various departments, and report to one head manager. Smaller nursing homes could have only one manager.
Nursing home managers must possess complete knowledge of all relevant safety and health regulations, as well as the ability to communicate the intelligence to staff.
According to Payscale.com, the median salary for nursing home administrators and managers is $67,249, with the top end salary approximately $120,000.
#3 Clinical Manager
A clinical manager works as the head of a clinic or medical office that offers primary and ongoing care. In a smaller facility, a clinical manager is given authority by physicians to manage the day to day treatment strategies that doctors have prescribed. They are expected to check that all aspects of care and scheduling have been administered in an effective and organized manner. Clinical managers also could work for larger healthcare facilities as managers of a department.
In such situations, the clinical manager will usually provide oversight of a department and the personnel who work there who are not physicians. The clinical manager with an MHA degree is generally responsible for the management of scheduling and ensuring that the department is working in a manner that coordinates with the department managers and medical office to make sure that necessary supplies and equipment is being bought to meet the needs of patients.
Most clinical managers have an RN degree and several years of bedside nursing experience, and many go on to earn their MHA degree.
The median salary for clinical managers is $69,100, with the top end approximately $99,000 per year.
#4 Health Information Manager
A health information manager is responsible for ensuring patient safety, legal compliance, and keeping medical care cost-effective in medical facilities with complex databases of patient information and treatment information. The HIM manager must maintain and improve the system of crucial medical documentation, which often includes medical records, patient data, diagnostic records, laboratory and examination results, and internal hospital memoranda.
HIM managers have to ensure that all patient and other medical data is accurate, current and in full compliance with institutional ethical standards and privacy laws for patients and insurance companies. This data must be accurately entered into the facility’s health information system and execute proper safeguards to ensure that only allowed personnel to have access to such information.
HIM operations exist on multiple levels of healthcare organizations, from private practices to hospitals to hospice care, they may need to oversee various sized teams of information technicians to develop patient data collection strategies and manage their proper execution. They also will need to have excellent communication and organizational skills with strong leadership skills. A HIM manager must have strong knowledge of HIPAA, JCAGO, and other healthcare facility compliance requirements.
The median salary for HIM managers is $55,200, with the top end approximately $81,000.
#5 Health Insurance Manager
A health insurance manager is responsible for valid claims and billing management for health insurance providers of various sizes. They are responsible for sending, tracking, and processing payments for customers, and providing oversight for workers who handle these tasks. Insurance managers with an MHA degree can make up to $78,000 per year.
Some of the other job titles related to this option are research analyst, insurance utilization manager, quality improvement director, client manager and director of strategic planning.
#6 Medical Equipment Sales Manager
Medical equipment sales managers are charged with individual customer accounts or regions depending on how the company is structured. They are responsible for the sale of many types of medical equipment, ranging from surgical apparatus, such as respiratory tubes, to critical care equipment including vital signs monitoring devices. Managers in the medical equipment sales business usually supervise a large team of sales representative and develop strategies to meet sales goals. It is possible for medical equipment sales managers to earn $150,000 per year or more.
#7 Long Term Care Administrator
A long-term care administrator is a similar position as a nursing home manager or administrator. The aging baby boomer population is creating a more significant need for more long-term care facilities, and long-term care administrators are in higher demand than ever. These administrators are responsible for the management and planning of the day to day care needs of elderly residents. Most long-term care administrators with an MHA can earn between $80,000 and $100,000 per year.
#8 Director of Government Affairs
A director of government affairs can work in a variety of public and private organizations related to health care. They are responsible for the analysis of current legislation and how it affects the employer and then reporting the findings. The director of government affairs can earn between $75,000 and $200,000 per year, depending upon the size of the organization.
#9 Home Health Care Agency Director
Patients who need long-term care also can choose to get home health care. Home health care agencies coordinate the attention of people who select this option. Home health care agency directors are responsible for planning the budget, managing performance, and ensuring legal compliance for these agencies. The median salary for this position is approximately $90,000 per year.
#10 Claims Manager
A claims manager works in the health insurance industry and coordinates and expedites the processing of clients’ healthcare insurance claims. The claims manager has typically a management position that is responsible for claims processing as well as managing other employees who handle these claims.
It also is the responsibility of the claims manager to examine various notifications and claims that have been received, according to practices and standards in the industry and their company, to determine if they meet worthiness standards.
The median salary for claims managers is $74,800 per year.
References
- Medical and Health Services Managers. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm#tab-6
- 10 Non-Clinical Career Options for Health Administrators. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://mha.gwu.edu/blog/10-non-clinical-career-options-for-health-administrators/
