Health Services Degrees

What is a Health Services Degree?

You're the dominating-type. You lead others, but you're not cut-throat. Your passion lies in helping individuals and communities. But, what degree will help you combine those passions to create a successful career? A degree in Medical and Health Service Management will!

With a degree in Medical and Health Service Management, you can pursue career opportunities as a medical and health service manager, also known as healthcare executives or healthcare administrators. Much like the role a manger plays in any other business, medical and health service managers plan, direct, coordinate, and supervise medical facilities or systems. However, as technology and healthcare reform evolves, the role of medical and health service managers must adapt, too. Soon, medical and health service managers will have additional challenges to adapt to, such as:

* Integrating healthcare delivery systems

* Technological innovations

* Stricter regulations

* Work restructuring

* Shifted focus on preventative healthcare

For medical and health service managers, the size and scope of their job depends on the environment in which they're employed. Some medical and health service managers may be responsible for several facilities, while a medical and health service manager working in a small group office is only responsible for personnel matter and the patient flow of that office.

Also dependent on where a medical and health service manager is employed, some administrators work in pleasant, private offices while others must share their workspace with staff members. Most medical and health service managers work long hours, and may be called at any hour to deal with problems. It is also common for medical and health service managers to travel often for meetings or to assess a remote facility.

Students interested in pursuing a career in medical and health service management should be familiar with the principles and practices of management.

How can I get a Health Services Degree?

For most management positions in the healthcare field, a Master's degree is required in one of the following areas:

* Health services administration

* Long-term care administration

* Health sciences

* Public health

* Public administration

* Business management

However, in smaller facilities, a Bachelor's degree is acceptable for entry-level positions and some physician's offices hire professionals with previous field experience rather than a formal degree.

Licensing, Certification, and Advancement Info

For medical and health service managers seeking positions within a nursing care facility, a bachelor's degree, successful license exam, completed state-approved training course, and continued education is required in all States.

To earn a certification as a Registered Health Information Administrator from AHIMA, candidates must possess a bachelor's degree and they must pass a certification exam.

Medical and health service managers who advance in their positions are typically either given more responsibility with a salary increase, move to a larger facility, or become consultants or professors for the healthcare management field.

With a degree in such a booming professional field, you can satisfy all of your requests and even have room for promotion! Enroll in school now to earn your medical and health service management degree.