Utah Careers in Healthcare Management - UT

By an allied health world contributing writer
Published: July, 14 2010

Healthcare administrators, sometimes known as medical and health services managers, are the “suits” of the medical profession. It is their responsibility to plan and implement medical and health services in hospitals, clinics, managed care organizations, public health agencies, and other similar organizations. The State of Utah’s Department of Workforce Services rates “Medical and Health Services Managers” as one of Utah’s five-star occupations, noting that business expansion is projected to be the source of the majority of job openings in the coming decade.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that during 2006, employment for medical and health service managers was 2,470 and by 2016, healthcare administration jobs in Utah are expected to rise to 3,190 – a 29 percent increase in employment for this job sector.

What types of soft skills are considered necessary for those in the healthcare management profession? Good communication skills – both speaking and written, the ability to actively listen to others and social perceptiveness, being aware of how others react and understanding their motives and behaviors. A healthcare administrator today must absolutely have sound judgment as they consider the relative benefits and costs of potential actions and chose the best alternative.

More and more people are considering Utah as a place not just to go on vacation, but as a place to live. Often referred to as “the greatest snow on earth,” Utah has the Rocky Mountains, the Great Basin, the Colorado Plateau and a lifestyle that has made it one of the fastest growing states in the United States, according to the United States Census Bureau’s population estimates.