Health care management is concerned with providing health care and the advancement in public policy about financing and access to care. Health care management, also called as health care administration provides a broad range of jobs in various organizations.
Health care management field has been progressing over the last five decades. Health care managers deal with organizations or individuals, from physician groups to hospitals, government agencies and insurance companies. In health care management, role of managers are varied including line supervisors, managers, directors, middle managers and executives.
Since health care industry is developing rapidly, new technologies along with health care facilities increases a number of disciplines that health care managers handle. Managers are required in some areas that are coming up such as ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, occupational health, home care, assisted living and adult day care etc. Also, other areas require experts in the empire of financial management, revenue cycle management, business development, planning, reimbursement, performance improvement, fundraising and development, and medical management.
In U.S., the health care industry is growing very fast. Various factors including longer life expectancy, an aging population, new technologies, treatments and medication are contributing to this growth. It leads to more requirements of health care professionals, including managers. The responsibilities of health care managers might vary according to the health care system. However, the main purpose of management will be the same i.e. establishing a work environment which will encourage the achievement of goals.
Health care managers are from various professions. There are also managers who graduate in health care administration, public administration or business administration programs. These include information systems managers, financial managers, public relations, clinical managers, and marketing managers. In health care management, persons with undergraduate or graduate degrees in management enter the field with the objective of gaining a middle management or upper management position.