16 Careers in Health Care Planning and Management

Many health care administrators work in the field of planning and management. They support health care providers by ensuring the medical facility is run efficiently. To attain a position at a leadership level, many health care administrators must earn a Master of Health Administration (MHA). MHA@GW program director Dr. Leonard Friedman’s 101 Careers in Healthcare Management outlines just some of the many career paths in health care planning and management that health administrators can choose.

A director of business development supports the executive leadership in a hospital, private practice or other medical facility in developing, implementing and evaluating new clinical outreach opportunities. A director of business development can earn up to $130,000 annually, depending on the size of the facility in which they work.

Directors of infection prevention are the primary resource for infection control in a medical care center. Main tasks include providing consultation and educational tools, staff training, and regulation of responses in incidents of outbreak. A director of infection prevention may earn between $90,000 and $110,000 in a year.

The director of physician recruiting is primarily responsible for recruiting and retaining physicians in order to maintain facility growth and operations. The director creates recruitment, interview and hiring plans for the facility. A director of physician recruiting can make a salary of between $80,000 and $130,000, with higher salaries coming from larger hospitals and facilities.

The director of safety is responsible for ensuring hospital safety, security and emergency management. Individuals holding this position can expect to monitor, evaluate and improve facility safety procedures. A director of safety can expect to earn between $80,000 and $115,000 a year.

The director of a community health center is responsible for the planning and operations of a community health program. In addition to existing programs, the community health center director can act as a community representative during legislation regarding community health issues. This position can earn between $75,000 and $100,000 a year depending on location of the center and the individual’s professional background.

Surveyors conduct site surveys of health care facilities and analyze the functioning of the facility. They then work to create recommendations to improve efficiency of current practices and quality of care. Surveyors are employed by nongovernmental entities and have the potential to earn up to $100,000 annually.

Senior associates are responsible for initiating and coordinating the search process for qualified candidates for health care positions. Executive search firms employ senior associates. These firms are then hired by hospitals or other medical facilities to aid them in their hiring processes. Senior associates in these positions can earn between $80,000 and $125,000 prior to bonuses for successful placement of candidates.

The director of utilization management is responsible for meeting utilization goals in a hospital, private care facility or other medical center. Directors of utilization management monitor the utilization of resources and create plans to efficiently use such resources. Individuals in this position can earn up to $142,000 annually.

Emergency management coordinators are responsible for the planning and execution of comprehensive emergency management programs. Coordinators could be responsible for managing emergency situations such as fire, flooding or other natural disasters. Emergency management coordinators can earn between $60,000 and $120,000 annually depending on their employer

Budget analysts are responsible for many activities related to the budget of a medical organization. Main tasks include maintaining budget and cost-accounting databases, monitoring budget reports and helping in the preparation of the annual operational and capital budget for an organization. Budget analysts can work in hospitals, private practices and elsewhere and may earn as much as $130,000 annually.

The director of emergency services is responsible for the maintaining the operation of emergency services in a hospital or emergency care facility. Directors of emergency services ensure that emergency services are available at all times. These directors can earn between $55,000 and $90,000 annually.

The director of human resources oversees and manages the human resources department of a hospital, private practice or other medical care facility. They manage employee training and hiring, in addition to employee relations and benefits. The director of human resources can earn up to $150,000 a year in a large, urban hospital.

The director of medical records is responsible for complying with federal government regulations in regard to patient privacy. Administration and maintenance of patient records are key responsibilities of the position. A director of medical records can expect to earn between $80,000 and $120,000 annually.

The director of revenue cycle management is responsible for evaluating patient revenue optimization. This position implements measurement tools, policies and processes to ensure that the facility achieves maximum patient billing. A director of revenue cycle management can earn up to $142,000 annually.

The patient accounts manager works with patients and their insurance companies to ensure the financial performance of patient account services. The patient accounts manager is also responsible for managing and improving the accounts receivable process. Patient accounts managers can earn up to $130,000 annually.

The payroll manager is responsible for managing the payment of employee salaries in a hospital, private practice or other medical facility. Payroll managers make sure that proper tax and benefits deductions have been taken from employees’ salaries. An experienced payroll manager can expect to earn between $50,000 and $73,000 annually.

Interested in learning more about earning your MHA? Contact our admissions team by phone at 1-855-MHA-ATGW (1-855-642-2849), or by e-mail at admissions@mha.gwu.edu.