What a director of family health services does depends on their specialty and organization. However, all family health service directors act as upper level health care administrators who manage care operations, control departments and provide direct support to subordinates, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Director of Family Health Services – Generalist
A general director of family health services works for facilities that provide treatment services to adults, children, adolescents and the elderly. They are committed to maintaining supportive environments and ongoing plans for improved health. They are responsible for directing daily operations related to admissions, patient services, billing operations and continuous improvement programs. They also supervise employees who receive inquiry calls from referral sources and potential patients. They help subordinates achieve daily goals and departments achieve expected outcomes. The basic education requirement is a master’s degree in health care administration, such as an MBA in health care management.
Director of Family Health Services – Pediatrics
A pediatrics director of family health services will liaison with other health care specialists and family health service directors to coordinate and monitor services. These directors often refer pediatric patients to specialists and are expected to handle admission issues within a few business days. They are accountable for the successful financial management of the pediatric program, which most likely will include various clinics and locations. They coordinate financial resources, research potential grant opportunities and perform cost containment and budget planning. Their human resources duties lie in securing and nurturing highly competent and productive pediatric teams of health care providers.
Director of Family Health Services – Quality Improvement
A director of family health services who specializes in quality improvement will most likely be employed by a state or regional wide health care organization. They are itinerant administrators who work directly for chief executive officers and boards of directors. They are ultimately responsible for the direction of their organizations’ risk, quality and improvement management programs. This includes standard health care initiatives, such as risk management plans, organizational evaluations and employee performance assessments. They perform internal audits, inspect facilities and review documentation. They ensure that all facilities comply with state and federal regulations and hospital policies. These directors usually have a master’s degree in public health, business administration or quality management.
Credential Qualifications for a Director of Family Health
Most director of family health services professionals maintain certification through the American College of Healthcare Executives Copyright (ACHEC), which offers their one and only Fellow of ACHE credential. This program requires candidates to have a master’s or doctoral degree and at least two years of health care management experience. The exam covers 10 knowledge areas, such as organizational structure, which deals with delegation of authority and responsibilities, and human resources, which covers productivity evaluations and accountability monitoring. Finance deals with managing budgets and accounting duties, while information technology management covers clinical information systems. Additional areas include ethics, business, regulations and management.
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Director of family health care services must also maintain state licensure, such as an RN license, and have the demonstrated ability to execute effective programs that meet the needs of staff, patients and families. They must have strong supervisory, administrative and documentation skills. What a director of family health services does includes the delivery of compassionate, service-based medical services.