Health services manager vs clinical director

The differences between health services managers and clinical directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a health services manager and a clinical director. Additionally, a clinical director has an average salary of $96,497, which is higher than the $84,568 average annual salary of a health services manager.

The top three skills for a health services manager include patients, behavioral health and mental health. The most important skills for a clinical director are patients, patient care, and physical therapy.

Health services manager vs clinical director overview

	Health Services Manager	Clinical Director
Yearly salary	$84,568	$96,497
Hourly rate	$40.66	$46.39
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	162,609	83,232
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a health services manager do?

A health services manager is responsible for monitoring the medical services and policies of a healthcare institution, ensuring that the medical team provides the highest quality care services for the patients. Health services managers supervise daily operations, resolving complaints, facilitating health programs, and training new staff. They handle departmental budgets and allocate adequate resources to support medical procedures. A health services manager also inspects the quality of medical tools and equipment and schedule regular maintenance to guarantee efficiency and avoid potential hazards and delays.

What does a clinical director do?

A clinical director is a managing professional who manages the work of healthcare providers to ensure quality patient care is achieved. Clinical directors are responsible for organizational tasks such as adjusting staff schedules, explaining insurance benefits to the patients, and managing financial reports. They can work either in small clinics with a smaller workforce or larger hospitals with multiple departments. Clinical directors may also assist in the hiring process of healthcare providers and should establish a positive work environment.

Health services manager vs clinical director salary

Health services managers and clinical directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Health Services Manager	Clinical Director
Average salary	$84,568	$96,497
Salary range	Between $56,000 And $127,000	Between $63,000 And $145,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Delaware	Rhode Island
Best paying company	Genentech	Sutro Biopharma
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between health services manager and clinical director education

There are a few differences between a health services manager and a clinical director in terms of educational background:

	Health Services Manager	Clinical Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Health services manager vs clinical director demographics

Here are the differences between health services managers' and clinical directors' demographics:

	Health Services Manager	Clinical Director
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 31.2% Female, 68.8%	Male, 35.2% Female, 64.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 8.2% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 8.1% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between health services manager and clinical director duties and responsibilities

Health services manager example responsibilities.

Initiate sentinel system allowing company to proactively manage reimbursement reductions impose by state Medicaid programs.
Possess the ability to work in a fast-pace environment with compassion and respect for all patients and family members.
Assist in the design and reconstruction of the culinary department.
File member's medical data in proper medical jacket, per HIPAA regulations.
Audit adjudication process so that compliance are met within ERISA and HIPAA guidelines.
Assist other facilities in preparation for ACA accreditation and develop departmental audit tools to ensure compliance in all areas.

Clinical director example responsibilities.

Develop distinctive ambulatory strategies to achieve and sustain competitive healthcare advantage.
Manage and assist with data collection and input for MDS.
Manage quality of documentation through education and electronic review of clinical processes utilizing HCHB EMR.
Manage front office, marketing, and communication -demonstrated/supervise exercises for patients -Developed instructional packets for home exercise programs
Manage projects and ambulatory system initiatives, and collaborate with system leadership teams to ensure EMR alignment with all regulatory requirements.
Experience in GCP, FDA audits, and regulatory guidance review and implementation.

Health services manager vs clinical director skills

Common health services manager skills

Patients, 11%
Behavioral Health, 9%
Mental Health, 8%
Health Services, 5%
Customer Service, 5%
Social Work, 5%

Common clinical director skills

Patients, 18%
Patient Care, 11%
Physical Therapy, 5%
Social Work, 4%
Rehabilitation, 4%
Clinical Services, 3%

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Health Services Manager
Health Services Manager vs Clinical Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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