10 Healthcare Management Skills Employers Often Look for in Healthcare Management Jobs

What Is Healthcare Management?

Healthcare managers, also referred to as medical and health services managers, plan, direct, and coordinate the business activities of healthcare providers. They may manage an entire facility, a specific clinical area or department, or a medical practice for a group of physicians. They also must adapt to changes in healthcare laws, regulations, and technology.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 23% from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.¹

Skills for Healthcare Management

Medical and health services managers typically need a bachelor’s degree to enter the occupation, though requirements may vary by facility and role. Some employers may prefer candidates with a master’s degree, and advancement to higher positions may require one. Prospective managers also typically need work experience in an administrative or clinical role in a hospital or other healthcare facility. ¹

Healthcare managers may oversee entire facilities, departments, medical practices, staff, finances, records, schedules, policies, and compliance efforts. In these roles, the Healthcare management skills may include leadership, healthcare administration, operations management, communication, problem-solving and business management abilities. Related healthcare manager qualifications may also involve familiarity with strategic planning in healthcare management, healthcare compliance and regulations, healthcare financial management, healthcare human resources management, and electronic health records management. ^1,2

Key areas employers may look for include:

• Analytical Skills: Reviewing healthcare metrics, identifying ways to improve efficiency, and helping organizations meet goals. These healthcare management competencies may support healthcare quality improvement, healthcare problem-solving, and administrative decision-making.
• Communication Skills: Conveying information to staff, other healthcare workers, patients or insurance agents. Communication skills in healthcare management may support healthcare communication skills, healthcare team leadership, and day-to-day coordination across departments.
• Detail-Oriented Skills: Organizing and maintaining scheduling, billing, and facility service records, especially in large healthcare settings. These healthcare administration career skills can be useful in medical office management, hospital administration, and electronic health records management.
• Interpersonal Skills: Working with medical staff, department heads, governing boards, healthcare personnel, patients, and other stakeholders to support effective operations. Interpersonal skills may also support conflict resolution in healthcare and collaborative work across healthcare settings.
• Leadership Skills: Hiring, training, supervising, motivating, and evaluating staff while helping create an environment where teams can succeed. Healthcare organizational leadership, healthcare supervisory skills, healthcare executive leadership skills, healthcare team leadership, and healthcare operations leadership may be important for managers who guide staff, departments, or healthcare services.
• Technical Skills: Staying current with healthcare technology, including coding systems, electronic health record (EHR) systems, computerized record management systems, and data processing technology. Technical skills may support electronic health records management, data-informed decision-making, and healthcare business management.
• Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to evaluate options and approaches to problems in healthcare operations. Critical thinking may support healthcare decision-making, healthcare project management, strategic planning in healthcare management, and healthcare problem-solving.
• Active Listening: Giving full attention to what others are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking appropriate questions, and avoiding interruptions at inappropriate times. Active listening is one of the healthcare manager soft skills that can support communication, coordination, and workplace collaboration.
• Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions and helping coordinate medical, nursing, technical, clerical, service, maintenance, and other personnel. Coordination may support healthcare operations management, healthcare human resources management, healthcare operations leadership, and the delivery of healthcare services.
• Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions when managing budgets, staffing, compliance, facility operations, and healthcare services. These healthcare decision-making skills may support healthcare financial management, adherence to healthcare compliance and regulations and broader healthcare operations management.

As you work to develop the skill sets associated with healthcare management through work experience, healthcare management training and/or an online healthcare management degree program, consider how you can highlight these skills on your résumé and job application materials.

AIU offers an online Bachelor of Healthcare Management and an online Master of Healthcare Management.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you are interested in pursuing a healthcare management degree, contact one of our Admissions Advisors to request information and learn more.

¹ U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical and Health Services Managers, at BLS Handbook (visited July 7, 2026). This data represents national figures and is not based on school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.

² O*NET Online, Medical and Health Services Managers, 11-9111.00. O*NET Summary (visited July 7, 2026).

AIU cannot guarantee employment, salary or career advancement. Not all programs are available to residents of all states. REQ2237633 07/2026