What does an associate medical director do?
It is the job of an associate medical director to support and enforce medical policies for the organization. Associate medical directors make sure to deliver patient care in high quality. They conduct research and evaluate medical innovations and treatments. It is their responsibility to prepare and oversee company finances, deposit checks, and paid office bills. They order supplies, manage payroll, and update organizational policies and standard operating procedures. Also, they are referred to as clinical leaders assisting medical staff in EMR system management and updates.
Associate medical director responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real associate medical director resumes:
- Lead successful JCAHO accreditation efforts, including audit preparation and follow up.
- Establish office protocols and aggressively manage patient A/R to maximize reimbursements.
- Manage payroll, order supplies, review and update standard operating procedures and organizational polices.
- Perform first aid and CPR as needed.
- Perform oncology and internal medicine peer reviews, train and oversee physician quality.
- Perform ICD-9 coding and submit insurance claims with attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy.
- Withspecialize training in ICD-9, CPT, reimbursement issue, DRG optimization, census and statistical skills.
- Perform medical histories, specimen collection , 12-lead EKG, and other tests as directed by customers or physicians.
- Experience with multinational oncology trial design, implementation and overall management, the ongoing training and development of team members.
- Maintain and ensure compliance of OSHA logs for oxygen tanks, refrigerator temps, equipment calibrations, and narcotic medications.
- Implement OSHA safety self-audits and inspection programs, maintaining accurate records of all audits to ensure compliance at all times.
- Review existing CPT, DRG, ICD-9 diagnosis, and ICD-9 procedural codes to see if appropriate for new technology billing.
- Prepare and assist in preparation for FDA audits/inspections.
- Organize seminars on tuberculosis and polio immunization programs.
- Provide consultation and education in the areas of gynecology and pediatrics.
Associate medical director skills and personality traits
We calculated that 19% of Associate Medical Directors are proficient in Patients, PET, and Appeals. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of Associate Medical Directors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 19%
Provided customer service* Processed, analyzed and maintained all out-patient records* Responded to medical record requests from physicians and patients
- PET, 12%
Expanded hospital services over time, providing full service, preventative and primary pet care for small animals.
- Appeals, 11%
Directed Quality Management; Credentialing; Utilization and Disease Management; and Benefit/Claims Appeals.
- Customer Service, 5%
Championed and managed transition to Missouri-based drug provider, reducing costs 10% and dramatically improving customer service.
- Medical Oncology, 5%
Provide financial and operational management and leadership for a 35 provider medical oncology department.
- Medical Care, 5%
Improved quality of medical care by educating medical staff on policy, standards, and regulations related to JCAHO.
Common skills that an associate medical director uses to do their job include "patients," "pet," and "appeals." You can find details on the most important associate medical director responsibilities below.
Analytical skills. One of the key soft skills for an associate medical director to have is analytical skills. You can see how this relates to what associate medical directors do because "medical and health services managers review and evaluate healthcare metrics for ways to improve efficiency and meet goals." Additionally, an associate medical director resume shows how associate medical directors use analytical skills: "presented data and planned regulatory strategy with fda and other regulatory agencies. "
Communication skills. Many associate medical director duties rely on communication skills. "medical and health services managers must convey information to their staff, other healthcare workers, and, sometimes, patients and insurance agents.," so an associate medical director will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways associate medical director responsibilities rely on communication skills: "provide accurate, timely, courteous, and personable customer service to medicare part b providers and beneficiaries via written communication. "
Detail oriented. associate medical directors are also known for detail oriented, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to associate medical director responsibilities, because "medical and health services managers must pay attention to detail." An associate medical director resume example shows how detail oriented is used in the workplace: "ensured scientific accuracy, providing medical review of promotional materials and solution oriented feedback during concept and promotional review meetings. "
Leadership skills. A commonly-found skill in associate medical director job descriptions, "leadership skills" is essential to what associate medical directors do. Associate medical director responsibilities rely on this skill because "medical and health services managers hire, train, and direct staff." You can also see how associate medical director duties rely on leadership skills in this resume example: "provide leadership in the clinical and administrative management of patients hospitalized in the adult psychiatric unit and dissociative disorders track. "
Technical skills. While "technical skills" is last on this skills list, don't underestimate its importance to associate medical director responsibilities. Much of what an associate medical director does relies on this skill, seeing as "medical and health services managers must stay up to date with advances in healthcare technology, such as the coding and electronic health record (ehr) systems their facility adopts." Here is a resume example of how this skill is used in the everyday duties of associate medical directors: "developed outpatient sleep disorders center and laboratory that supported differentiation strategies of hospital and provided technical resource for clinical trials. "
The three companies that hire the most associate medical directors are:
- QuintilesIMS160 associate medical directors jobs
- Commonwealth Senior Living144 associate medical directors jobs
- UnitedHealth Group118 associate medical directors jobs
Compare different associate medical directors
Associate medical director vs. Nurse manager
The primary role of nurse managers is to supervise the nursing staff in a clinical or hospital setting. They are the ones who are in charge of patient care, setting work schedules, and making budgetary and management decisions. They are also responsible for making personnel decisions, coordinating meetings, and creating safe environments that promote patient engagement and aid the healthcare team's work. Their role is vital in promoting a culture in which team members contribute to professional growth and patient outcomes.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between associate medical directors and nurse manager. For instance, associate medical director responsibilities require skills such as "appeals," "medical care," "medical necessity," and "patient care." Whereas a nurse manager is skilled in "cpr," "performance improvement," "surgery," and "quality patient care." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Nurse managers really shine in the health care industry with an average salary of $90,775. Comparatively, associate medical directors tend to make the most money in the pharmaceutical industry with an average salary of $203,046.On average, nurse managers reach similar levels of education than associate medical directors. Nurse managers are 4.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 12.6% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Associate medical director vs. Practice manager
A practice manager is responsible for supervising daily operations, especially on the side of the medical industry. Practice managers monitor staffing needs, train new employees, and evaluate the employees' productivity and performance. They also enforce strict guidelines and procedures, ensuring that the processes adhere to the legal standards and regulatory requirements. Practice managers also maintain budget goals, creating cost estimates and expense reports. A practice manager must have strong communication, analytical, and critical-thinking skills, as well as comprehensive knowledge of the medical industry practices.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, associate medical director responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "appeals," "medical care," "oncology," and "medical necessity." Meanwhile, a practice manager has duties that require skills in areas such as "practice management," "payroll," "oversight," and "patient flow." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Practice managers earn a lower average salary than associate medical directors. But practice managers earn the highest pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $97,698. Additionally, associate medical directors earn the highest salaries in the pharmaceutical with average pay of $203,046 annually.In general, practice managers achieve similar levels of education than associate medical directors. They're 4.1% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 12.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Associate medical director vs. Medical case manager
The primary role of a Medical Case Manager is to monitor the patients treatment plan to ensure that physicians are doing their jobs properly. They are also responsible for improving the quality of patient services, increasing revenue, analyzing the information gathered by investigations, and reporting recommendations.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, associate medical directors are more likely to have skills like "pet," "appeals," "medical oncology," and "oncology." But a medical case manager is more likely to have skills like "care coordination," "management services," "community resources," and "mental health."
Medical case managers make a very good living in the insurance industry with an average annual salary of $53,529. On the other hand, associate medical directors are paid the highest salary in the pharmaceutical industry, with average annual pay of $203,046.medical case managers typically earn higher educational levels compared to associate medical directors. Specifically, they're 7.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 10.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Associate medical director vs. Medical consultant
A medical consultant assists doctors and other medical staff in running a healthcare facility. They give advice on matters such as salaries, staffing, advertising, safety, patient confidentiality and insurance plan compliance. They are also responsible for gathering and analyzing data, coming up with conclusions, providing recommendations to the employer, helping the institution ensure they are compliant with insurance and safety standards, and offering advice that will help optimize the performance of the health facility.
Types of associate medical director
Updated January 8, 2025
