Degrees In Business Blog

Making the jump from the business world to the medical world is a huge leap.

It is definitely not a typical path, but there are certainly parts of business that would prepare you for certain professions in the medical field. Lessons and knowledge you gained from the business world could help you in your medical records courses.

For instance, medical records management is very business-oriented. Medical records are managed and operated like a business with many needs related to administration. Medical and Healthcare managers, often referred to as executives or administrators, are responsible for planning, directing, coordinating, and supervising Healthcare practices at hospitals and other Healthcare facilities.

Medical records programs are constituted in the form of a masters of Healthcare administration program which is typically necessary to become a medical records manager.  A medical recording masters program is preferred but a masters degree in health sciences, public health, medicine, allied health, or business administration is also accepted within the industry. Graduate programs typically require take 2 to 3 years to complete, and may include 1 year of supervised administrative experience. Due to the increased specialization associated with an MBA focused with an emphasis on Healthcare, The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education reported 72 accredited masters Healthcare administration programs in 2008.

Interestingly, some masters of Healthcare administration programs are selective as to whether a they require a bachelors degree in business or healthcare administration, but many accept students with bachelors degrees in other areas of interest. If you’re a business student that wants to get into the Healthcare industry, this is the profession for you!

Due to the diverse nature of any Healthcare facility, most medical and Healthcare managers are trained as specialists. These different areas of specialization are each responsible to a specific department.  Two examples of the various types of Healthcare managers within the average hospital are:

1. Clinical managers- trained in a specific clinical field or area

2. Health information managers- such as Medical Coding specialists and Medical Transcriptionists.

Medical recording masters programs will prepare you to begin your career and start making a very nice salary. The median annual wage for masters of Healthcare administration program graduates in 2008 was approximately $80,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A medical recording degree will allow to make a substantial amount of money with definite room for growth.

So, if  you have a business background and you’re thinking about pursuing a career in the Healthcare industry, then consider going after a profession as a medical records manager.