A clinical manager in the healthcare field is responsible for running the many different aspects of involving the financial and personnel operations of a healthcare facility. Individuals who work as clinical managers are supervisors who may manage a large number of employees, but they rarely have direct contact with patients. Their responsibilities are varied and can involve recruitment and training of staff as well as ordering equipment and supplies.
Duties and Responsibioities
In addition to hiring, training and evaluating staff, clinical managers have a number of other primary duties that include developing short- and long-term budgets for their facilities, developing business plans and finding methods to organize systems that maximize productivity.
When working on a senior level in a large facility such as a hospital, clinical managers often specialize in managing one department such as surgery or diagnostic services. Others work for agencies that develop healthcare policies.
Why Healthcare Managers Have Become Important
The delivery of healthcare services has become big and complicated, thus necessitated the need for specially trained individuals to oversee its operation. As noted by Healthcare Administration Degree Programs, the delivery of healthcare is essentially a business and is subject to many different rules and regulations. Implementation and management of information systems, billing, patient records is big business. A healthcare facility must meet with federal mandates in addition to medical standards. All of these business tasks must be coordinated so the medical staff can keep on the task of maintaining patients’ health. That’s why clinical managers have become an essential part of the healthcare operations.
What Type of Skills are Needed?
Successful clinical managers are strong leaders who have the ability to lead large groups of people. They should also have strong decision-making and analytic skills along with the ability to prioritize and balance duties.
Other important traits include:
- Previous medical office experience
- Strong written and verbal skills
- knowledge of patient care and confidentiality
- Previous supervisory experience
Clinical managers should also be proficient in computer systems, essential software such as Microsoft Excel and Word and medical billing, registration an coding systems.
Education and Job Outlook
Students who have earned a bachelor’s degree usual start in entry-level positions in smaller facilities or in a smaller department of a large healthcare organization. Typical majors are health services management, health services administration, nursing administration or business administration. Some employers specifically want graduates of universities accredited by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration. To move up in the industry, managers generally have a master’s degree in public health or an MBA with a specialization in healthcare.
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that the median annual salary in 2017 for clinical managers was $98,350. The field is expected to grow by 20 percent by 2026 to 72,100 positions, much faster than the average for all occupations in the United States.
Related Resource: Top 10 Doctor of Public Health Degree Programs
With Baby Boomers continuing to age, the need for healthcare will continue to grow in the United States. The role of clinical managers in the healthcare field will continue to grow thereby providing a viable career path for college graduates.