What does a hospital manager do?

A hospital manager, also referred to as a hospital administrator, plays a crucial role

in managing the hospital's day-to-day operations. They oversee daily work
processes, devise departmental strategies, manage the infrastructure and
employees and plan the finances and budget of the facility. They are responsible for
the hospital's fiscal performance and the welfare of patients. They coordinate with
employees of various departments to ensure that each patient receives the best care
and treatment.

These professionals also play a vital role in the top-level decision-making process of
a hospital. They define the overall strategy of the health care facility to improve
operational efficiency, streamline costs, increase revenues and dispense the best
patient care. Hospital managers also ensure that the facility complies with national
and state-wide health laws and policies. They attend various health care industry
events, like conferences to keep themselves and their team updated with the latest
health care procedures and regulations. They also hold staff meetings and execute
training programs for employees of all levels.

Related: How To Become a Hospital Administrator: A Complete Guide

Day-to-day tasks of a hospital manager

The day-to-day tasks of hospital administrators vary based on the size of the
healthcare facility, setting and services. Here are some of the typical duties of a
hospital manager:

• manage the hiring, training and performance of hospital staff

• serve as a liaison between the staff, management and patients
• design and implement short, medium and long-term goals for the
medical facility
• frame budgets and operational strategy for each department
• oversee the finances of the hospital, including setting the rates for
various health services, budgeting and revenue monitoring
• raise funds for the healthcare facility via fundraising events and
community partnerships
• streamline the operational procedures of the facility to provide
patients with the best care
• develop new policies for the hospital to improve patient experience
and satisfaction
• oversee the progress of research (if done) at the hospital
• ensure compliance with various government policies and legal
regulations
• manage the insurance reimbursement for patients by ensuring tie-
ups with insurance providers
 • ensure the security and safety of patient healthcare records and
other facility data
• communicate with doctors, specialists, nurses, ward attendants and
vendors
• educate the general public on important health issues via campaigns
and community events

Basic Responsibilities
The primary responsibility of health care managers is to foster an environment that
can provide necessary and quality health care at maximum profit. They determine
budgets, order and receive supplies, administer payroll and benefits, and distribute
regular communications. They keep up with relevant health care laws, technology
and standards, and represent their organizations at external meetings, such as
community forums and investor gatherings. To determine health care needs and
how medical decisions affect the procedures and finances of their facilities,
managers conduct regular meetings with doctors, vendors and patients.

Types of Managers
The roles of managers vary according to their titles and the functions of their
facilities. Hospital administrators are in charge of admissions, staff and upkeep of
medical centers, making sure that patients receive the necessary services. In large
facilities, clinical managers focus on a specific department, such as surgery or
nursing. They set goals and procedures for their areas of responsibility after
consulting with other clinical managers and the chief administrator. Health
information managers ensure that sensitive medical data is safeguarded from
casual and unauthorized access.

Introduction
Managers in healthcare have a legal and moral obligation to ensure a high
quality of patient care and to strive to improve care. These managers are in a
prime position to mandate policy, systems, procedures and organisational
climates. Accordingly, many have argued that it is evident that healthcare
managers possess an important and obvious role in quality of care and patient
safety and that it is one of the highest priorities of healthcare managers.1–3 In
line with this, there have been calls for Boards to take responsibility for quality
and safety outcomes.4 ,5 One article warned hospital leaders of the dangers of
following in the path of bankers falling into recession, constrained by their lack
of risk awareness and reluctance to take responsibility.6 To add to the
momentum are some high profile publicity of hospital management failures
affecting quality and safety, eliciting strong instruction for managerial
leadership for quality at the national level in some countries.7 ,8
Beyond healthcare, there is clear evidence of managerial impact on workplace
safety.9–12 Within the literature on healthcare, there are non-empirical articles
providing propositions and descriptions on managerial attitudes and efforts to
improve safety and quality. This literature, made up of opinion articles,
editorials and single participant experiences, present an array of insightful
suggestions and recommendations for actions that hospital managers should
take to improve the quality of patient care delivery in their organisation.13–
17
However, researchers have indicated that there is a limited evidence base
on this topic.18–21 Others highlight the literature focus on the difficulties of the
managers’ role and the negative results of poor leadership on quality
improvement (QI) rather than considering actions that managers presently
undertake on quality and safety.22 ,23 Consequently, little is known about what
healthcare managers are doing in practice to ensure and improve quality of
care and patient safety, how much time they spend on this, and what
research-based guidance is available for managers in order for them to decide
on appropriate areas to become involved. Due perhaps to the broad nature of
the topic, scientific studies exploring these acts and their impact are likely to
be a methodological challenge, although a systematic review of the evidence
on this subject is notably absent. This present systematic literature review
aims to identify empirical studies pertaining to the role of hospital managers in
quality of care and patient safety. We define ‘role’ to comprise of managerial
activities, time spent and active engagement in quality and safety and its
improvement. While the primary research question is on the managers’ role,
we take into consideration the contextual factors surrounding this role and its
impact or importance as highlighted by the included studies. Our overarching
question is “What is the role of hospital managers in quality and safety and its
improvement?” The specific review research questions are as follows:

Healthcare Management
Serving in a management role in healthcare requires a dual set of skills. Not only does a
manager need to be proficient in leadership, business, and communication, but he or she also
needs to have a strong healthcare background such as medicine, pharmacy, or nursing. While
job requirements may differ depending on the work area, an advanced degree and ample
experience in the field being managed is generally required.
As with any organization, there are various levels of management within health care. These
levels may range from management of a single hospital unit or department to managing a large
service line or an entire hospital. Qualifications vary depending on the level of management.
Healthcare managers have various roles and responsibilities within their organization. The first
role is managing personnel. The manager may oversee the work of different types of personnel
within their department such as clerks, technicians, and licensed professionals, like nurses or
pharmacists. Daily management of employees involves everything from staffing and payroll to
performance evaluations and conflict management.
Healthcare managers are accountable for monitoring quality in their work area and adherence to
regulations. Healthcare organizations must comply with government regulations as well as
those required by accrediting bodies like the Joint Commission. This may include measures of
patient care quality and environmental safety. Managers must also ensure that their employees
maintain required licenses and certifications to perform their specific duties and receive
mandatory education and training.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities
 In general, hospital healthcare managers juggle several responsibilities, including
planning, directing, and coordinating other practitioners, departments, and groups.

They work in a variety of hospital settings, ranging from human resources to

specialized clinical areas. They must collaborate across disciplines, manage an
organization’s budget and finances, and lead talent development.

Healthcare managers handle business operations as well medical team needs. The
scope of these responsibilities can change depending on a manager’s level, with
levels including:

• Supervisors who oversee the day-to-day activities of teams of employees

• Department managers who oversee entire departments
• Directors who oversee systemwide activities and functions
• Executives who oversee an entire hospital or a group of hospitals
All hospital healthcare managers work with physicians, make policy decisions,
oversee patient care and budgeting and accounting, and lead marketing efforts to
ensure their organization functions smoothly.

Departmental Coordination & Innovation

Departmental Coordination & Innovation
Managers can improve healthcare delivery by operating hospitals that deliver reliable,
adaptable services. They must understand and direct the following forces that impact
innovation:

• Multiple Stakeholders: A manager’s aim is to coordinate a variety of

stakeholders and guide them to focus on a common goal. Employees such as
doctors, insurance companies, technology distributors, patient advocates, etc., all
have personal interests in hospital policy and operations.
• The Flow of Funding: Funding innovation is important, and managers direct
the flow of funds from third-party investors, long-term investors, insurers, and other
sources to the appropriate areas.
• Ever-Changing Policy: Policy impacting innovation is in constant flux with
new federal regulations requiring rigid compliance. Managers must not only know
about policy updates, but also communicate them to staff and implement them in
the hospital.
• New Technology: Technology innovation requires managers to exercise solid
timing, given that a hospital’s infrastructure must adapt to new technologies. In
addition, technologies must be adopted before any competitive advantage is lost.
• Empowered Patients: Patients invest financially and intellectually in their
own healthcare; empowered by the knowledge they can glean from the
internet pertaining to their own circumstances. Innovative managers make it a
point to address the empowered patient’s concerns, recognizing that savvy
patients are not complacent to just take the doctor’s word at face value if that
conflicts with their existing knowledge.
 •
Accountability impacts innovation in that managers have to demonstrate
effectiveness, safety, and other regulatory principles to accrediting
organizations.
A healthcare manager may drive innovation in hospital processes and see
tangible results in patient care. For example, low death rates among
emergency patients might indicate managerial in

Managing Teamwork
Facilitating teamwork and collaboration are essential for managing a successful
hospital. Managers can influence innovative teamwork by:

• Preparing, summarizing, and formatting information for staff consumption

• Serving as a mediator between goals, strategies, and day-to-day activities
• Promoting innovative operational approaches
Healthcare managers oversee team initiatives, especially frontline employees. Such
teams collaborate to resolve patient and workflow issues. Thus, managers bridge
informational gaps that ensure innovation reaches the right outlets.

novation. Improving Health Care Via Lean Management

Lean healthcare management approaches, originally derived from the Toyota Production
System, aim to eliminate error, expedite processes, lower costs, and improve healthcare
quality.

In lean management strategies, big payoffs may come from small innovations. For example,
one hospital reduced time in the recovery room by 28 minutes just by making a pager number
more accessible. Lean management may also lead to results like these:

• Happier employees with fewer perfunctory, time-consuming issues to work

around
• Patients having greater access to care because of shorter wait times
• Layoffs being reduced because making processes more efficient saves
money
• Costly events not covered by insurance that should never happen, including
bedsores, are eliminated by efficiency
• The extent to which existing resources, such as equipment and space, are
used increases eliminating costly, consuming, and ultimately unnecessary
construction and expansion
• Waste of resources, time, and money is reduced, enabling hospitals to
become profitable

Eradicating waste of all kinds is at the core of lean management approaches.

Healthcare managers are needed to facilitate the implementation of these innovative
approaches.

Healthcare managers of all levels and specializations are critical to guarantee a

hospital functions in a competitive, effective, profitable and satisfactory manner.
 Utica University’s online Healthcare Administration Master’s degree is a leadership-
oriented program that prepares students for a career in this field.

Health Care Administration Roles and Responsibilities

History has shown a necessity for the health care administrator, and the job itself
requires a diverse set of job responsibilities. The importance of patient safety in
healthcare remains crucial. Individuals may wonder, what exactly is the definition of
a healthcare administrator? Through a variety of health care systems, healthcare
administrators lead and manage staff and work with administrative personnel to
ensure the organization runs smoothly operationally, legally, and professionally.
Health care administrators work as generalists (manage entire facilities) or
specialists (operate a specific department, such as human resources or accounting).

But what do these individuals do on a day-to-day basis? Health care administrators

or patient safety managers find employment in a variety of health care settings,
including:

• Doctor’s offices
• Hospitals
• Call centers
• Laboratories
• Research institutes
• Specialized clinics
• Outpatient facilities
• Residential care groups
• Medical record-keeping facilities
The tasks performed within these organizations are extensive and varied and require
specialized knowledge within a chosen department. A health care administrator’s
duties can consist of:

• The monitoring and ordering of equipment and supply needs. Whether in a

hospital setting or private clinic, daily upkeep is crucial to the organization’s flow,
from keeping stock of essential supplies like gloves to intricate maintenance of
radiology equipment.
• The coordination and organization of daily tasks required of an organization,
including evaluating staffing, employee schedules, and human resources tasks,
such as employee relations and payroll.
• Record maintenance and information sharing. Patient safety in health care
administration ensures that every patient’s care is carefully documented, and
administrators must adequately maintain each employee’s file either in hard copy
or electronically.
• Taking charge of compliance with the numerous laws and regulations that govern
health system operations. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
of 1996 (HPAA) invoked stringent guidelines regarding health insurance, patient
billing, patient confidentiality, and health insurance fraud.4 Adhering to these rules
is a large portion of an administrator’s responsibility. Medical institutions must be
prepared for different types of legal claims, as well as dealing with labor and
employment laws. These are some of the tasks best suited for a health care
administrator.
• Educating staff and patients on new policies, such as the Affordable Care Act,
which affects U.S. health care and health insurance.
A DV AN C E Y OU R C AR E ER WI T H UT IC A U NI VE RS I TY

Advance your career in Healthcare & PT

• MASTER OF HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION (MHA)
Health Care Administrator’s Employment Opportunities
The opportunities for a health care administrator or manager are plentiful and can
include patient or employee care and/or operations of a health organization. Many
departments are available, and with such an array of career options, there truly is an
avenue for each administrator. In addition to well-known positions, such as CFO or
director of human resources, some lesser-known but equally important roles are
listed below.

Nursing Administrator

In this career path, nursing administrators oversee nursing staff through daily
operations, including schedule creation and staff relations within the department.
This position could also include supply maintenance for the nursing staff.

Hospice Administrator

In the hospice setting, administrators are responsible for the administrative duties,
including a budget, staff management, and legal adherence in a setting in which care
is provided for terminally ill people and their families.

Director of Fund-Raising and Development

Many medical institutions operate as a non-profit, and the duties of an administrative

position include creating a plan for fundraising as well as the execution of the plan.
While fundraising is vital, the director of development may also take the lead in
reaching out to various charities for partnership opportunities, building relationships
with the community involved, and soliciting private donors.

Director of Hospital Marketing

While marketing efforts can include media relations and advertising efforts, the
director of hospital marketing can also work to identify potential patients or new
revenue streams. In addition, a director of hospital marketing can work to generate
profitable pricing strategies.

Mental Health Facility Administrator

Whether involved in a facility or the supervision of outpatient care, this type of health
care administrator concentrates on those affected by mental health and substance
abuse issues. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA), a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
governs this type of work and proposes policies and guidelines to improve the quality
of care and accessibility of prevention, rehabilitative, and treatment services.5

Public Health Department Coordinator

This department concentrates on health issues pertaining to the general public’s

health, including food inspection, infectious disease testing, and research and
vaccination requirements, to name a few. The coordinator for this type of department
would address public health matters, such as disease outbreaks or food
contamination, while adhering to the regulations laid forth by the U.S. government.

Director of Public Relations

Medical institutions require very specialized individuals to handle their public

relations. In matters of health, lawsuits can be commonplace, and dealing with
individuals and the media on such issues is of utmost importance to the integrity of
an institution.

Regardless of the position or the tasks involved, a health care administrator is vital to
the growth and success of a medical institution. The career opportunities for an
individual with a degree in Health Care Administration are varied and in demand,
presenting opportunities for many in the industry of healthcare.

The Utica University Master of Healthcare Administration is a leadership-oriented

program that prepares students for a career in health care.