5 Fast-Growing Entry-Level Healthcare Administration Jobs

If you're considering or currently pursuing a healthcare management degree, you've probably started looking into possible entry-level healthcare administration jobs. In 2014, US News & World Report's list of "The 20 Fastest-Growing Jobs This Decade," 14 were in the healthcare industry,¹ and with the growing need for clinical healthcare positions like doctors and nurses comes a need for more management and administration roles behind the scenes.

So what kind of jobs should you be looking for once you obtain your healthcare management or healthcare administration degree? First, keep in mind that many jobs in these fields require prior experience, meaning you may need to spend some time in an entry-level role before moving up to the positions you really want.

Below are five entry-level healthcare administration jobs that the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects to have high prospects for growth:

Medical and Health Services Managers

Medical and health services managers are in charge of coordinating and directing all administrative functions for a doctor's office, wing of a hospital or clinic, or other healthcare facility.

• Skills and Responsibilities – Ranging from full supervision of an office or facility to oversight of a specific clinical department, healthcare administrators may occupy positions like office managers, assistant administrators, human resources, or clinical managers.

• Projected Job Growth – 23% (from 2012-2022)
• Median Salary in 2012 – $88,580²

Administrative Medical Assistants

Medical assistants help physicians and nurses with a variety of clinical and administrative tasks, and usually work in a doctor's office, clinic, or private practice.

• Skills and Responsibilities – Administrative medical assistants help check in patients and schedule appointments, complete and submit insurance forms, and may help gather patient information in smaller offices or clinics.

• Projected Job Growth – 29% (from 2012-2022)

• Median Salary in 2012 – $29,370³

Medical Secretary

Medical secretaries typically work in hospitals or clinics managing the influx of patients, answering phone calls, and coordinating with other hospitals, labs, and doctor's offices.

• Skills and Responsibilities – Much of a medical secretary's job is about communication and coordination. They help check in patients, gather relevant medical and insurance information, collect copayments, and may request medical records from other facilities.

• Projected Job Growth – 36% (from 2012-2022)⁴

• Median Salary in 2014 – $32,240⁵

Patient Services Representative

Patient services representatives assist patients and their families during the treatment process by answering questions, explaining the next steps in treatment, addressing any patient issues or complaints, and acting as a liaison between the patient, healthcare providers, and any relevant additional services and resources. They typically work in hospitals or larger clinics.

• Skills and Responsibilities – Because this position involves working with patients to answer questions and address any concerns throughout the treatment process, patience, clear communication skills, and a friendly disposition are a must.

• Projected Job Growth – 13% (from 2012-2022, all customer service representative jobs)

Medical Records and Health Information Technicians

This position is common in hospitals, clinics, and smaller private practices. Medical records administrators organize and manage patient information, ensure accuracy and security, and oversee the systems for sorting and retrieving medical records.

• Skills and Responsibilities – Strong organizational skills and high attention to detail are incredibly important in this role. Health information technicians must be able to utilize a variety of classification systems and be able to work with both paper and electronic records.

• Projected Job Growth – 22% (through 2022)

• Median Salary in 2012 – $34,160⁶

Ready to learn more? Explore online healthcare management degrees at AIU.

AIU cannot guarantee employment or salary. Find employment rates, financial obligations and other disclosures at https://www.aiuniv.edu/student-disclosures.

¹US News & World Report, "The 20 Fastest-Growing Jobs This Decade," on the Internet at http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2014/03/06/the-20-fastest-growing-jobs-this-decade (visited on September 22, 2015).

²Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, Medical and Health Services Managers, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm (visited September 22, 2015).

³Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, Medical Assistants, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm (visited September 21, 2015).

⁴US News & World Report, "Best Health Care Jobs: Medical Secretary," on the Internet at http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/medical-secretary (visited September 21, 2015).

⁵Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2014," on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes436013.htm#%282%29 (visited September 28, 2015)

⁶Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, Medical Records and Health Information Technicians, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-records-and-health-information-technicians.htm (visited September 19, 2015).

The presence of specific potential jobs on this list does not guarantee availability of career opportunities. All statistics referenced are national historical averages and the figures in your area and at the time of your job search may be different.