4 Healthcare Career Paths That Go Beyond Patient Care
Last Updated May 11, 2023
Not only is healthcare one of the fastest growing employment sectors in the nation, but it’s also one of the most diverse. The clinical positions of physician, nurse, therapist, hospital support staff and technician may be the first occupations that come to mind when thinking of healthcare, but these roles are just part of the complex healthcare landscape.
For those looking to transition out of either patient care or patient management and into the “business side” of healthcare, there are a variety of career paths that offer experienced healthcare professionals the opportunity to use their valuable knowledge, grow their skills and stretch themselves beyond patient care. Here are four possible career paths where clinical healthcare experience and knowledge coupled with business acumen can provide leadership and advancement opportunities.
1. Healthcare Compliance
HIPAA, ACA, OSHA, EMTALA, HITECH, OIG, MFCU—what seems like an alphabet soup of acronyms stands for just a few of the government agencies, acts, guidelines and laws that every healthcare provider needs to adhere to.
The implementation of the Healthcare Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in 2003 created the need for an entirely new type of healthcare career to help clinical facilities and organizations address the ever-growing government compliance requirements that help protect patients and staff, set privacy and usage standards for personal patient information, and standardize medical documentation and information.
Managing compliance goes beyond knowing these regulations to the letter and ensuring a healthcare organization or facility complies with them. Healthcare compliance can be responsible for a variety of oversight and implementation duties, including setting best practices and standards, conducting investigations and audits for areas of risk, developing plans of course correction for when regulatory offenses are found, overseeing Medicaid fraud control units, and instructing physicians on compliance guidelines and procedures.
“Lack of oversight and a failure in compliance can cost an organization millions,” says Dr. Michael Rip, Program Director of the Master of Science in Healthcare Management at Michigan State University. “There’s a huge need in hospital compliance and good, agile leadership is critical.”
Depending on the size of the organization or facility, healthcare compliance may be one person, a small team or an entire division comprised of healthcare compliance specialists, healthcare compliance managers, and healthcare compliance officers.
As the field grows more complex with reform and regulation, institutions need experienced healthcare professionals who are also strategic planners, critical thinkers and analytical problem-solvers. An MBA or MS in Healthcare Management can help to provide the additional expertise and hone the skills these in-depth knowledge specialists need to effectively develop, implement and monitor compliance programs to protect patients, staff and the organization.
2. Regulatory Affairs
While a healthcare compliance professional works within a hospital, nursing home or physician group to ensure that clinical facility and staff operate in compliance, the companies and manufacturers of the medical supplies, devices and pharmaceuticals those healthcare facilities use have their own set of rules to follow. That responsibility falls on the regulatory officer or, depending on the size of the company, an entire division or team of regulatory affairs professionals.
Research, testing and clinical trials to ensure effectiveness, safety, and regulatory compliance is required of nearly every medical device, product or pharmaceutical before it can be prescribed to a patient or be used by a physician. From product development to final governmental approval, regulatory affairs professionals work with a variety of medical and healthcare professionals as well as governmental agencies.
They may start by working with and presenting the findings of scientists, physicians, medical laboratory professionals and clinical healthcare professionals who are conducting developmental research and completing clinical trials, where strong scientific knowledge and clinical healthcare or research experience can prove invaluable. As they then work with governmental agencies and regulators for final approval and ongoing compliance, regulatory affairs professionals need to know the relevant guidelines and stay abreast of any changes in regulation and the implications for their products and organizations.
The career opportunities for regulatory affairs professionals are just as diverse as the various professions, organizations, and skills they need to be knowledgeable about. Companies manufacturing and selling the products, which can range from small medical device companies to multinational conglomerates; governmental regulating agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration; and research organizations, hospitals, and universities that are conducting clinical trials all need regulatory affairs professionals at every step of the process.
This role calls for a versatile individual with knowledge and skills from many different areas, including a solid comprehension of technology and scientific research, clinical healthcare experience, an understanding of healthcare policy law and government regulation, and strategic business acumen. For the clinical healthcare professional looking to transition into a regulatory affairs role, an advanced degree with a business focus, such as an MBA or MS in Healthcare Management, can help to add analytical communications, critical thinking and strategic planning, and management skills to that valuable clinical experience.
3. Medical Benefits Administration
With the fluid state of healthcare reform and a patchwork of private and government subsidized medical insurance options, understanding and implementing health insurance benefits becomes more complicated every year. Companies need individuals knowledgeable in the healthcare and insurance industries to ensure their employees have comprehensive coverage at the lowest cost to the company, and employees need someone who can explain the healthcare services covered for their families. After all, no worried patient wants to walk into a neurologist or oncologist office only to learn the physician is “out of network.”
The majority of medical benefits administrators work within a company or organization to set the medical benefits structure by selecting and working with insurance vendors and then managing the enrollment and delivery of medical benefits to employees. In assessing and choosing the best medical plans for a company, presenting plan options to company management and employees, and administering the plan effectively, a medical benefits administrator needs sharp analytical and decision-making skills, superior communication skills, and effective leadership skills.
A clinical healthcare professional with a working knowledge of healthcare regulation and compliance can be valuable in this role to ensure that a company’s medical benefits programs are current, competitive and legally compliant. A graduate degree in healthcare management can provide additional credentials and knowledge in areas such as human resources, business administration, business management, and finance that position a clinical healthcare professional for professional growth and career advancement.
4. Medical and Health Services Management
If you’re a doctor working within a larger practice or physician group, the lead of a surgical wing in a large hospital or nurse manager at a nursing home, you’ve probably found yourself working under a healthcare administrator or a medical and health services manager.
Medical and health services managers coordinate and direct medical and health services for an entire healthcare facility, such as a hospital or nursing home; within a specific clinical area or department within a larger facility, such as a cardiology or oncology wing of a hospital; or within a group medical practice. These individuals work closely with medical staff—physicians and surgeons, registered nurses, medical and clinical laboratory technologists and technicians, and other healthcare workers.
On a day-to-day basis, a medical and health services manager or administrator can be expected to oversee facility finances and monitor budgets; ensure compliance with healthcare laws and regulations; recruit, supervise and communicate with facility staff and department heads; develop departmental goals and objectives; and be responsible for the overall efficiency and quality in delivering healthcare services.
As this is a role that requires business management skills coupled with clinical healthcare knowledge, pursuing an advanced degree with a focus on both healthcare and business-related courses can provide the valuable analytical and critical thinking, strategic planning and overall business acumen needed to grow and lead in the managerial or even executive ranks.
Since many organizations require a master’s degree of their healthcare managers and administrators, investing in that additional education can be worth it. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow by 32% between 2019 and 2029, with a median salary of $100,980.*
Knowledge to Lead
For those professionals looking to transition out of the patient care side of healthcare, the business side of healthcare and the diverse organizations that are a part of it provide an array of possibilities for the experienced healthcare professional. With a desire to lead and a willingness to pursue the additional credentials and education needed, healthcare careers beyond patient care offer exciting opportunities for new professional goals.
Explore the MSU Master of Science in Healthcare Management.
*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical and Health Services Managers. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm#tab-5 (visited February 26, 2021).
*National long-term projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth. Information provided is not intended to represent a complete list of hiring companies or job titles, and degree program options do not guarantee career or salary outcomes. Students should conduct independent research on specific employment information.
