Medical Office
Management
Careers
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As the number of private
medical practices grows, so does the need for quality Medical Office
Managers.
Program Description
This dynamic program prepares one for a career in the
management of private health care practices. One will learn sound
managerial skills and principles of good employee relations as well as
principles of accounting. The program also emphasizes health information
systems and procedures, risk management and nomenclature and
classification systems.
The following
from Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition
Job Outlook
Employment is projected to grow
faster than the average. Job opportunities should be good, especially
for applicants with work experience in healthcare and strong business
management skills.
Employment change. Employment of
medical and health services managers is expected to grow 16 percent from
2008 to 2018, faster than the average for all occupations. The
healthcare industry will continue to expand and diversify, requiring
managers to help ensure smooth business operations.
Managers in all settings will be
needed to improve quality and efficiency of healthcare, while
controlling costs, as insurance companies and Medicare demand higher
levels of accountability. Managers also will be needed to oversee the
computerization of patient records and to ensure their security as
required by law. Additional demand for managers will stem from the need
to recruit workers and increase employee retention, to comply with
changing regulations, to implement new technology, and to help improve
the health of their communities by emphasizing preventive care.
Hospitals will continue to employ
the most medical and health services managers over the 2008–18 decade.
However, the number of new jobs created is expected to increase at a
slower rate in hospitals than in many other industries because of the
growing use of clinics and other outpatient care sites. Despite
relatively slow employment growth in hospitals, a large number of new
jobs will be created because of the industry's large size.
Employment will grow fast in
offices of health practitioners. Many services previously provided in
hospitals will continue to shift to these settings, especially as
medical technologies improve. Demand in medical group practice
management will grow as medical group practices become larger and more
complex.
Medical and health services
managers also will be employed by healthcare management companies that
provide management services to hospitals and other organizations and to
specific departments such as emergency, information management systems,
managed care contract negotiations, and physician recruiting.
Job prospects. Job opportunities
will be good, especially for applicants with work experience in
healthcare and strong business management skills. Medical and health
services managers with experience in large hospital facilities will
enjoy an advantage in the job market, as hospitals become larger and
more complex. Competition for jobs at the highest management levels will
be keen because of the high pay and prestige.
Earnings
Median annual wages of wage and
salary medical and health services managers were $80,240 in May 2008.
The middle 50 percent earned between $62,170 and $104,120. The lowest 10
percent earned less than $48,300, and the highest 10 percent earned more
than $137,800. Median annual wages in the industries employing the
largest numbers of medical and health services managers in May 2008
were:
General medical and surgical
hospitals $87,040 Outpatient care centers 74,130 Offices of physicians
74,060 Home health care services 71,450 Nursing care facilities 71,190
Earnings of medical and health
services managers vary by type and size of the facility and by level of
responsibility. For example, the Medical Group Management Association
reported that, in 2007, median salaries for administrators were $82,423
in practices with 6 or fewer physicians; $105,710 in practices with 7 to
25 physicians; and $119,000 in practices with 26 or more physicians.
According to a survey by the
Professional Association of Health Care Office Management, 2009 average
total compensation for office managers in specialty physicians'
practices was $54,314 in gastroenterology; $54,201 in dermatology;
$58,899 in cardiology; $48,793 in ophthalmology; $44,910 in obstetrics
and gynecology; $51,263 in orthopedics; $51,466 in pediatrics; $48,814
in internal medicine; and $47,152 in family practice.
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