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Health services manager vs medical director

The differences between health services managers and medical 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 medical director. Additionally, a medical director has an average salary of $230,317, 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 medical director are patients, medical care, and medical services.

Health services manager vs medical director overview

Health Services ManagerMedical Director
Yearly salary$84,568$230,317
Hourly rate$40.66$110.73
Growth rate28%28%
Number of jobs162,60975,810
Job satisfaction-4
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 54%Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Average age4747
Years of experience66

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 medical director do?

A medical director is responsible for handling the overall supervision of different medical departments, managing the coordination between medical teams to ensure smooth operations and achieve high-quality care services for the patients. Medical directors enforce strict guidelines and safety measures for everyone's adherence. They also implement medical care programs, recruit medical staff, inspect the adequacy of medical equipment, respond to patient's inquiries and concerns, and oversee the facilities' procedures. A medical director manages the budget of the department, allocating equal resources to address every need.

Health services manager vs medical director salary

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

Health Services ManagerMedical Director
Average salary$84,568$230,317
Salary rangeBetween $56,000 And $127,000Between $143,000 And $369,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYSeattle, WA
Highest paying stateDelawareAlaska
Best paying companyGenentechUnitedHealth Group
Best paying industryHealth CareInsurance

Differences between health services manager and medical director education

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

Health Services ManagerMedical Director
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 54%Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Most common majorNursingMedicine
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Health services manager vs medical director demographics

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

Health Services ManagerMedical Director
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 31.2% Female, 68.8%Male, 57.0% Female, 43.0%
Race ratioBlack 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, 11.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 7.9% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage12%12%

Differences between health services manager and medical 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.
  • Show more

Medical director example responsibilities.

  • Manage OPD for acute injuries.
  • Manage patients with diabetes, hypertension and other medical problems.
  • Manage patients living with HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and other sexually transmit infections.
  • Manage hypertension and diabetes in elderly patients
  • Conduct psychiatry evaluations and treatment, manage co-occurring disorders.
  • Manage budget planning, forecasting and accruals for improve financial management.
  • Show more

Health services manager vs medical 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 medical director skills
  • Patients, 12%
  • Medical Care, 7%
  • Medical Services, 6%
  • Utilization Review, 5%
  • Appeals, 5%
  • Internal Medicine, 4%

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