As the health care industry grows, individuals with strong business skills will be needed to manage the quality and efficiency of the services provided. A bachelor's degree in health services will provide you with an understanding of the health care system. Keep reading for more details on how you can put your degree in health services to work for you.
Health Care Management Career Options
With a Bachelor's Degrees in Health Services, sometimes referred to as health services management, you can become a manager, supervisor or administrator in a health care setting. Employers of entry-level health services managers include nursing homes, insurance companies, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, physician practices and public health agencies. As a health care manager, you may oversee entire health care organizations, specific departments or individual services within an organization. Common job duties include the management of finances, program planning, personnel, compliance issues and budgets.
<h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutBachelorSDegreesInHealthServices">Important Facts About Bachelor's Degrees in Health Services</h3><p></p><table border="1"><tr><td>Prerequisites </td><td> High school diploma or GED equivalent</td></tr>
<tr><td>Online Availability </td><td> Yes, courses and full programs available</td></tr>
<tr><td>Concentrations </td><td> Human services administration, health services administration</td></tr>
<tr><td>Common Courses </td><td> Healthcare policy, human resources management, healthcare ethics</td></tr>
</table><h3 id="section---HealthCareAdministration">Health Care Administration</h3><p>Although most positions in health care administration typically require master's degrees, a Bachelor's Degrees in Health Services can prepare you for entry-level positions within this field. While small health care organizations usually have a top administrator who oversees all daily business operations, larger organizations often have assistant administrators who assist the top administrator in handling the daily decisions associated with specific departments or services, such as health information, medical records, therapy and admissions.
</p><h3 id="section---GraduateStudy">Graduate Study</h3><p>Once you've earned a Bachelor's Degrees in Health Services, you may consider going on to earn a graduate-level degree in the field. Master's degree and Ph.D. programs are available in this discipline, and they can further assist you with career advancement opportunities. A Master of Science degree in health services usually requires two years to complete and calls for approximately 45-50 credit hours. A Ph.D. program often requires several years of study and requires a dissertation. Earning such a degree can prepare you for careers in academia and research.
</p><h3 id="section---CareerOutlookAndSalary">Career Outlook and Salary</h3><p>According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs for medical and health services managers were predicted to grow by 28 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all professions. The BLS noted that people in these jobs, many of whom hold master's degrees, earned a median annual income of $101,340 as of May 2021 (<i>www.bls.gov</i>). The lowest 10 percent of managers earned less than $60,780, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $205,620.</p>
