How to Become a Medical and Health Services Manager

Healthcare organizations depend on more than excellent clinical care. They also need skilled professionals who can coordinate people and resources, navigate changing regulations, manage budgets and help complex organizations operate effectively. Medical and health services managers take on those responsibilities, working behind the scenes to support the systems that make patient care possible.¹

For people drawn to healthcare but interested in organizational leadership rather than direct patient care, the field offers a way to contribute to healthcare delivery on a broader scale. This guide explores what medical and health services managers do, the education and skills the role requires and the steps you can take to build a career in healthcare administration.

What Does a Medical and Health Services Manager Do?

Medical and health services managers plan, direct and coordinate healthcare services. Depending on the organization and position, they may oversee an entire facility, manage a specific clinical department or direct a group medical practice.¹ Their responsibilities can include recruiting and evaluating staff, developing budgets, monitoring compliance with laws and regulations and finding ways to improve the efficiency and quality of healthcare services.¹

The work puts managers at the intersection of healthcare, business and people. They may collaborate with physicians and other healthcare professionals, communicate with senior leadership and help translate organizational priorities into day-to-day operations. Their decisions can shape employees’ day-to-day work and, ultimately, how well an organization serves its patients.

Hospitals employ the largest share of medical and health services managers, but these professionals also work in physicians’ offices, nursing and residential care facilities, government and outpatient care centers.¹ Because healthcare operates around the clock, some managers may work evenings or weekends or need to be on call for emergencies.¹

Medical and Health Services Manager Education Requirements

A bachelor’s degree is the typical entry-level education for medical and health services managers.¹ Relevant areas of study include healthcare and related fields as well as business.¹ A public health degree can provide another route into the profession, particularly for students interested in understanding healthcare organizations within the broader systems, policies and population needs that shape them.

Kent State’s online BS in Public Health program offers a concentration in Health Services Administration for students interested in the management side of healthcare. Coursework addresses topics including healthcare policy, ethics, finance and management. Students can apply what they learn to the administrative decisions healthcare organizations face.

Education alone does not define a manager’s preparation. Employers may also seek candidates with administrative or clinical experience in healthcare settings, and some positions require previous experience in a related role.¹ That combination of academic preparation and professional experience can help aspiring managers understand both how healthcare systems function and how management decisions affect the people who work within them.

Some medical and health services managers also hold master’s degrees.¹ Graduate education may become particularly relevant for professionals who want to deepen their expertise or pursue more advanced leadership responsibilities.

Essential Skills for Medical and Health Services Managers

Healthcare management requires a unique combination of technical knowledge and people skills. Medical and health services managers need to understand the laws and regulations that affect healthcare organizations, along with the technologies and systems used to manage operations and patient information.¹ They may also need knowledge of budgeting, staffing and other administrative functions.

These responsibilities require managers to balance competing priorities, make informed decisions and understand how changes in one part of a healthcare organization can affect another. Technical expertise matters, but so does the ability to guide people through the decisions and changes required in a complex healthcare environment.

Communication and Leadership

Medical and health services managers work with physicians and other healthcare professionals, senior leadership and staff across the organization.¹ They may also recruit, train and supervise employees, making leadership an important part of many management roles.¹

Strong leaders do more than give direction. They listen, communicate decisions clearly and help teams respond to change. In healthcare, where administrative decisions can influence both working conditions and patient services, the ability to earn trust and communicate effectively carries particular weight.

Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills

Healthcare organizations generate large amounts of information about finances, staffing, operations and patient services. Medical and health services managers use analytical skills to interpret that information, evaluate performance and identify ways to improve efficiency and quality.¹

They solve problems in an environment that rarely stands still. Changes in regulations, budgets, technology and organizational needs can require managers to assess competing priorities and determine a practical course of action.¹ Strong analytical judgment helps managers turn information into decisions that address problems, improve performance and support quality care.

Career Outlook and Salary Expectations

Medical and health services management offers a promising career outlook. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects employment in the field to grow 23% between 2024 and 2034, which is much faster than the average for all occupations nationwide. About 62,100 openings are projected each year over the decade.¹

The earning potential is substantial as well. Medical and health services managers earned a median annual salary of $117,960 in May 2024, the most recent data available from the BLS.¹ Salaries vary by factors such as industry, location, experience and level of responsibility.

Those numbers reflect a larger reality: Healthcare organizations need people who can manage increasingly complex operations while keeping quality, efficiency and regulatory requirements in view. For someone who wants to pair an interest in healthcare with leadership and organizational problem-solving, that need can translate into a career with room to grow.

How Do I Become a Medical and Health Services Manager?

There is no single route into medical and health services management, but the career typically requires a combination of relevant education and healthcare experience.¹ If this is the direction you want to pursue, these steps can help you develop the knowledge, experience and professional connections the field demands:

1. Earn a relevant bachelor’s degree. A degree in public health, healthcare administration, business or a related field can provide the academic foundation for management roles.¹
2. Build healthcare experience. Many employers seek candidates with previous administrative or clinical experience in a healthcare setting.¹ Look for opportunities that expose you to healthcare operations and allow you to take on increasing responsibility.
3. Develop your professional network. Connections with healthcare administrators, faculty, colleagues and professional organizations can help you learn more about career paths and identify opportunities within the field.
4. Consider professional certification. Depending on your role and career goals, an industry credential such as the Certified Physician Practice Manager certification can demonstrate specialized knowledge and skills.²
5. Continue building your expertise. Healthcare regulations, technology and organizational practices evolve over time. Continuing education can help you keep pace, while a master’s degree may support your pursuit of more advanced management positions.¹

Build a Career Improving How Healthcare Works

Kent State University’s online BS in Public Health, with a concentration in Health Services Administration, can help you gain the knowledge you need to pursue a career in healthcare management. You’ll study public health alongside topics relevant to healthcare administration, developing a broader understanding of the systems, policies and management decisions that shape health services.

The program is designed with working adults in mind. Its online format allows you to continue meeting work and personal responsibilities while earning your degree, and you’ll learn from faculty with experience in public health research and practice.

A career in healthcare management gives you the opportunity to improve more than individual processes. The decisions you make can help healthcare professionals do their jobs effectively, strengthen the organizations they work for and support better service for the people who depend on them. Kent State can help prepare you for that responsibility.

Explore the program’s admission requirements, then contact us directly or schedule a call with an admissions outreach advisor to discuss your path forward.