How to Prepare for a Career in Healthcare Management

How to Prepare for a Productive Career in Healthcare Management

Healthcare is growing and changing rapidly, creating a need for compassionate and highly skilled workers, particularly in healthcare management technology. Industry experts predict 2.4 million new jobs in this niche by 2029.

If your interests and education align with healthcare management’s technology side, there is an opportunity to build a stable, satisfying, and rewarding career.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare service managers will experience pay increases of 28% by 2031, which is much faster on average compared to other occupations.

Healthcare management is the supervision and leadership of a healthcare facility, such as a physician’s practice or hospital. Healthcare management professionals collaborate with medical staff or clinic leaders to help the facility meet its goals, run more efficiently, and maintain positive relationships with patients and employees.

Hit the Ground Running with Education and Entry-Level Skills

Hiring managers focus on practical experience, education, or both. An associate degree can give you the edge you need to stand out. The University of Cincinnati (UC) Online’s Associate of Applied (AAB) Business in Healthcare Management Technology program prepares you for an entry-level business career within the healthcare industry.

UC Online Program Director of Healthcare Management Karen Lankisch says students earning an associate degree can provide evidence of comprehension and the skills to apply as a healthcare service manager. “There are many different levels of healthcare management, and the program provides entry-level knowledge,” says Dr. Lankisch.

Qualities and Skills Public Health Employers Want

Healthcare service managers manage and organize daily tasks to keep a medical practice running smoothly, working with providers and medical staff — and they may be patients’ first point of contact. The AAB Healthcare Management Technology curriculum includes Physician Practice Management, covering topics on leadership, management decisions, problem-solving, healthcare information technology, and detailed knowledge on effectively managing a group.

Understanding business etiquette and customer service is crucial to any patient-facing role. Most important is possessing strong written and verbal communication skills. Our English Composition course emphasizes careful reading, analytical thinking, and persuasive strategies inherent to the academic community.

Teamwork is essential for the overall health of the business. Managing employee expectations is crucial to building relationships, and healthcare service managers often handle staff issues specifically. The associate degree program’s Fundamentals of Human Resources course covers concepts and functions of training and development, performance appraisals, and employee relations.

Healthcare service managers often have responsibilities tied to the financial management of the organization and will need an understanding of billing processes. They may oversee budget and banking accountabilities, as well. The Healthcare Finance course prepares healthcare managers for maintaining healthcare organizations and covers financial terms and functions, payroll, accounts payables and receivables, and practice or project funding.

Entry-Level Healthcare Management Careers

High-growth opportunities in healthcare continue to grow as the entire industry evolves. Professionals with an associate degree in healthcare management can find great opportunities in a variety of healthcare settings, in roles like these:

•  Healthcare office receptionist
• Patient service representative
• Medical office administrator
• Medical assistant
• Medical secretary
• Medical records and health information technician

Educated healthcare service managers are sought after because of their skill sets and may perform various duties; here are some examples:

• Improve the patient experience for a physician practice.
• Oversee compliance with laws and regulations for a clinic.
• Contribute expertise to a medical facility’s finance department.
• Create and update staff work schedules for a hospital.
• Organize records for a state’s public health department.
• Track expenses for a nursing facility.
• Communicate with health insurance organizations.

Jumpstart Your Career in Healthcare With an Associate Degree

If you’re joining the workforce for your first full-time job or hoping to move into a growing industry, a career in healthcare management technology can be a fulfilling career choice. When you choose UC Online, you earn your degree on your own time and pace with a 100%-online program. (Not traveling to and from school gives you hours back to your week!) You’ll get start-to-graduation support from a dedicated student success coordinator and find that our hands-on faculty, like Dr. Lankisch, cheer you on, as well.

Dr. Lankisch says that people who are interested in and committed to the healthcare management field can succeed in our associate healthcare management technology program. “It provides the foundational skills necessary for an entry-level position,” she says. “Students with some knowledge of healthcare or those without it can benefit from this program.”

Graduates of the AAB Business in Healthcare Management Technology can easily transition into one of two of our popular bachelor’s programs:

• Technical Applied Studies
• Technical and Applied Studies – Healthcare Leadership

It’s Easy to Request More Information

Our staff is ready to answer your questions about this healthcare management program. You can connect online with an Enrollment Services Advisor or visit the program page to learn more.

We look forward to connecting with you and learning about where you want to take your career in healthcare!