Career Opportunities for Healthcare Executives

This is an exciting time for healthcare management. The field requires talented people to help introduce and manage the changes taking place. In their roles, healthcare executives have an opportunity to make a significant contribution to improving the health of the communities their organizations serve. As a result of the transformation taking place in the healthcare system, career options for healthcare executives are becoming more diverse. Increasingly, positions for healthcare executives may be found in a wide variety of settings, such as:

• Ambulatory care facilities
• Consulting firms
• Healthcare associations
• Home health agencies
• Hospices
• Hospitals and hospital systems
• Integrated delivery systems
• Long-term care facilities
• Managed care organizations (such as HMOs and PPOs)
• Medical group practices
• Mental health organizations
• Public health departments
• University or research institutions

Today, an estimated 100,000 people occupy health management positions at numerous organizational levels, from department head to chief executive officer. Requirements for senior-level positions in healthcare organizations are demanding, but these jobs also offer opportunities to improve the system of care giving.

With the growing diversity in the healthcare system, many executives are needed in settings other than the traditional hospital. However, competition is intense at all job levels, and many positions that previously required only a bachelor’s degree now require a master’s degree. Each year, about 2,000 students receive graduate degrees in healthcare management. Salaries for beginning master’s degree graduates generally range from the high-30s to high-40s, depending on the type of organization and its location. If you choose a career in healthcare management, your first job might be an entry- to mid-level management position in a specialized area, such as:

• Finance
• Government relations
• Human resources
• Information systems
• Marketing and public affairs
• Materials management (purchasing of equipment and supplies)
• Medical staff relations
• Nursing administration
• Patient care services
• Planning and development