How to Become a Healthcare Facility Director

Health Care Facility Director

Health care facility directors plan and oversee medical services in health care settings such as a doctor’s office, clinic, hospital, mental health center or nursing home. Health care facility directors must stay abreast of frequent changes and amendments to health care laws and regulations, and they must be open to adopting new technology to better serve the patients in their care.

The day-to-day duties of a health care facility director might include:

Supervising employees and communicating with medical staff and department leaders
Serving on boards or committees
Creating work schedules, managing finances, overseeing patient billing and fees
Developing plans for greater efficiency and better care

Health care facility directors typically work full time in clinical settings. The work can be stressful, especially at facilities that are open 24/7 such as hospitals. Facility directors who work in hospitals or nursing homes may be required to work evenings, nights or weekends. They might be called into work in the case of emergencies.

Career Growth

While the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not report specifically on the occupation of health care facility director, it does give information for health services manager. The job outlook for this occupation is very bright; it is expected to grow 23 percent by 2022. This above-average growth can be attributed to the aging of the Baby Boomers, who require increased health care services. The need for nursing home facility directors will likely be the highest in the coming years.

Salary Potential

Salaries for health care facility directors vary by geographic location, the scope of responsibility and the size of the facility for which they work. The BLS reports that the median annual wage for health services managers is $88,580.

Education Required

Education requirements for health care facility directors vary from job to job, but most require a master’s degree in health services, health care administration, public health or business administration. Some facilities accept applications from candidates who have a bachelor’s degree, but it is rare.

Interested individuals should start by earning a bachelor’s degree in one of the aforementioned fields of study. Programs in these areas prepare a student for graduate school. Students should expect coursework in organizational behavior, health services management, policies and ethics, marketing and health information systems.

Students should consider what kind of facility they want to direct. Regardless of the health care setting they choose, they should be prepared to spend up to one year completing supervised work.