What Do Healthcare Case Managers Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for healthcare case managers?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what healthcare case managers do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Healthcare Case Managers Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about healthcare case managers by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Healthcare Case Managers provide individuals, families, and groups with the psychosocial support needed to cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses. Services include advising family caregivers. Provide patients with information and counseling, and make referrals for other services. May also provide case and care management or interventions designed to promote health, prevent disease, and address barriers to access to healthcare.
Popular Job Titles For Healthcare Case Managers
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Licensed Clinical Social Workers
- Medical Social Workers
- Clinical Social Workers
- Hospice Medical Social Workers
- Licensed Independent Social Workers
- Licensed Medical Social Workers
- Behavioral Health Specialists
- Case Managers
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists
- Therapists
- Mental Health Professionals
- Behavioral Health Clinicians
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for healthcare case managers can be found.
Best Industries for Healthcare Case Managers
Healthcare Case Managers Jobs By Industry
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals: 20%
- Home Health Care Services: 13.2%
- Individual and Family Services: 13%
- Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities): 8.1%
- Outpatient Care Centers: 6.5%
- Offices of Physicians: 6.4%
- Other: 32.8%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of healthcare case managers can be found working in the General Medical and Surgical Hospitals sector. In 2023, about 20% of all jobs for healthcare case managers were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Home Health Care Services (13.2%), Individual and Family Services (13%), Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) (8.1%), Outpatient Care Centers (6.5%) and Offices of Physicians (6.4%).
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Healthcare Case Managers
Leverage advances in positive psychology and executive coaching to impact the development of individuals, teams, and communities.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Improve quality of life by removing barriers to healthcare, promoting wellness and reducing health disparities.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Earn a 14-month online Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with a Specialization in Healthcare and gain interdisciplinary communication and decision-making skills alongside specialized knowledge on healthcare policies, operations and analytics.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Do Healthcare Case Managers Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what healthcare case managers do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work healthcare case managers do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that healthcare case managers tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for healthcare case managers, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Healthcare Case Managers
Based on 39,600 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Healthcare Case Managers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work | 21,552 | 54% |
| Treatment Planning | 10,638 | 27% |
| Mental Health | 10,295 | 26% |
| Medical Social Work | 7,806 | 20% |
| Psychology | 7,580 | 19% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Healthcare Case Managers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 11,470 | 29% |
| Planning | 5,915 | 15% |
| Coordinating | 5,456 | 14% |
| Advocacy | 5,103 | 13% |
| Management | 4,953 | 13% |
Based on 39,600 job postings related to healthcare case managers, social work was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 54% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for treatment planning, mental health, medical social work, psychology and crisis intervention were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for healthcare case managers, followed by planning, coordinating, advocacy, management and problem solving.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work | 21,552 | 54% |
| Treatment Planning | 10,638 | 27% |
| Mental Health | 10,295 | 26% |
| Medical Social Work | 7,806 | 20% |
| Psychology | 7,580 | 19% |
| Crisis Intervention | 7,457 | 19% |
| Case Management | 7,326 | 19% |
| Discharge Planning | 6,471 | 16% |
| Behavioral Health | 6,286 | 16% |
| Psychosocial Assessments | 5,397 | 14% |
| Psychiatry | 4,755 | 12% |
| Psychotherapy | 4,754 | 12% |
| Care Coordination | 4,201 | 11% |
| Family Therapy | 3,938 | 10% |
| Hospice | 3,489 | 9% |
| Clinical Social Work | 3,466 | 9% |
| Nursing | 3,349 | 8% |
| Patient Assistance | 3,341 | 8% |
| Medical Records | 3,284 | 8% |
| Home Health Care | 3,189 | 8% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 11,470 | 29% |
| Planning | 5,915 | 15% |
| Coordinating | 5,456 | 14% |
| Advocacy | 5,103 | 13% |
| Management | 4,953 | 13% |
| Problem Solving | 4,257 | 11% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 3,984 | 10% |
| Writing | 3,849 | 10% |
| Leadership | 3,500 | 9% |
| Computer Literacy | 2,912 | 7% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 2,704 | 7% |
| Organizational Skills | 2,545 | 6% |
| Research | 2,126 | 5% |
| Scheduling | 2,034 | 5% |
| Customer Service | 2,010 | 5% |
| Decision Making | 1,976 | 5% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 1,866 | 5% |
| Time Management | 1,855 | 5% |
| Multilingualism | 1,827 | 5% |
| Microsoft Office | 1,814 | 5% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Healthcare Case Managers
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed Clinical Social Workers | 69,788 | 52.1% |
| Medical Social Workers | 18,370 | 13.7% |
| Clinical Social Workers | 22,109 | 16.5% |
| Hospice Medical Social Workers | 6,530 | 4.9% |
| Licensed Independent Social Workers | 3,001 | 2.2% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was licensed clinical social workers, with 12,713 unique job postings. Medical social workers were second, with 4,607 postings, followed by clinical social workers, hospice medical social workers and licensed independent social workers.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to healthcare case managers.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed Clinical Social Workers | 69,788 | 52.1% |
| Medical Social Workers | 18,370 | 13.7% |
| Clinical Social Workers | 22,109 | 16.5% |
| Hospice Medical Social Workers | 6,530 | 4.9% |
| Licensed Independent Social Workers | 3,001 | 2.2% |
| Licensed Medical Social Workers | 2,589 | 1.9% |
| Behavioral Health Specialists | 1,405 | 1% |
| Case Managers | 1,146 | 0.9% |
| Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists | 1,617 | 1.2% |
| Therapists | 1,066 | 0.8% |
| Mental Health Professionals | 922 | 0.7% |
| Behavioral Health Clinicians | 561 | 0.4% |
| Clinicians | 735 | 0.5% |
| Healthcare Case Managers | 339 | 0.3% |
| Psychotherapists | 294 | 0.2% |
| Healthcare Specialists | 416 | 0.3% |
| Clinical Care Leaders | 929 | 0.7% |
| Public Health Specialists | 296 | 0.2% |
| Mental Health Clinicians | 920 | 0.7% |
| Licensed Mental Health Counselors | 830 | 0.6% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for healthcare case managers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for healthcare case managers.
How much do healthcare case managers make?
Healthcare Case Managers: How do you become one?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.