What Do Patient Care Managers Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for patient care managers?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what patient care 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.
Patient Care Managers Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about patient care managers by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Patient Care Managers plan, direct, or coordinate medical and health services in hospitals, clinics, managed care organizations, public health agencies, or similar organizations.
Popular Job Titles For Patient Care Managers
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Directors of Nursing
- Patient Care Coordinators
- Medical Directors
- Clinical Supervisors
- Directors of Rehabilitation
- Patient Services Coordinators
- Care Coordinators
- Patient Coordinators
- Referral Coordinators
- Laboratory Managers
- Clinical Directors
- Clinical Managers
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for patient care managers can be found.
Best Industries for Patient Care Managers
Patient Care Managers Jobs By Industry
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals: 23.4%
- Offices of Physicians: 13%
- Outpatient Care Centers: 7.3%
- Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities): 5.5%
- Home Health Care Services: 4.9%
- Offices of Other Health Practitioners: 4.4%
- Other: 41.5%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of patient care managers can be found working in the General Medical and Surgical Hospitals sector. In 2023, about 23.4% of all jobs for patient care managers were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Offices of Physicians (13%), Outpatient Care Centers (7.3%), Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) (5.5%), Home Health Care Services (4.9%) and Offices of Other Health Practitioners (4.4%).
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Degree Options for Patient Care Managers
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- Years To Complete: 2
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Advance your leadership role and improve the effectiveness of healthcare.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Years To Complete: 3
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
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- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 21
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
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- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Do Patient Care Managers Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what patient care 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 patient care 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 patient care managers tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for patient care managers, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Patient Care Managers
Based on 461,000 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Patient Care Managers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | 96,012 | 21% |
| Care Coordination | 61,088 | 13% |
| Medical Records | 46,051 | 10% |
| Billing | 39,906 | 9% |
| Auditing | 36,715 | 8% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Patient Care Managers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 184,028 | 40% |
| Management | 177,312 | 38% |
| Leadership | 161,187 | 35% |
| Operations | 141,907 | 31% |
| Customer Service | 107,452 | 23% |
Based on 461,000 job postings related to patient care managers, nursing was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 21% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for care coordination, medical records, billing, auditing and electronic medical record were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for patient care managers, followed by management, leadership, operations, customer service and coordinating.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | 96,012 | 21% |
| Care Coordination | 61,088 | 13% |
| Medical Records | 46,051 | 10% |
| Billing | 39,906 | 9% |
| Auditing | 36,715 | 8% |
| Electronic Medical Record | 33,840 | 7% |
| Marketing | 33,824 | 7% |
| Social Work | 31,707 | 7% |
| Case Management | 31,439 | 7% |
| Workflow Management | 30,960 | 7% |
| Quality Improvement | 29,898 | 6% |
| Project Management | 27,891 | 6% |
| Behavioral Health | 27,342 | 6% |
| Mental Health | 26,624 | 6% |
| Home Health Care | 26,190 | 6% |
| Rehabilitation | 25,747 | 6% |
| Medical Terminology | 25,409 | 6% |
| Clinical Experience | 24,460 | 5% |
| Healthcare Industry Knowledge | 24,075 | 5% |
| Medicare | 23,611 | 5% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 184,028 | 40% |
| Management | 177,312 | 38% |
| Leadership | 161,187 | 35% |
| Operations | 141,907 | 31% |
| Customer Service | 107,452 | 23% |
| Coordinating | 83,413 | 18% |
| Scheduling | 76,454 | 17% |
| Planning | 74,792 | 16% |
| Problem Solving | 66,607 | 14% |
| Writing | 57,944 | 13% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 50,536 | 11% |
| Research | 45,609 | 10% |
| Detail Oriented | 44,353 | 10% |
| Microsoft Office | 44,073 | 10% |
| Microsoft Excel | 42,953 | 9% |
| Computer Literacy | 42,373 | 9% |
| Organizational Skills | 39,979 | 9% |
| Supervision | 37,928 | 8% |
| Coaching | 37,839 | 8% |
| Decision Making | 33,647 | 7% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Patient Care Managers
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Directors of Nursing | 74,532 | 21.1% |
| Patient Care Coordinators | 44,567 | 12.6% |
| Medical Directors | 25,499 | 7.2% |
| Clinical Supervisors | 24,187 | 6.8% |
| Directors of Rehabilitation | 31,461 | 8.9% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was directors of nursing, with 21,886 unique job postings. Patient care coordinators were second, with 7,273 postings, followed by medical directors, clinical supervisors and directors of rehabilitation.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to patient care managers.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Directors of Nursing | 74,532 | 21.1% |
| Patient Care Coordinators | 44,567 | 12.6% |
| Medical Directors | 25,499 | 7.2% |
| Clinical Supervisors | 24,187 | 6.8% |
| Directors of Rehabilitation | 31,461 | 8.9% |
| Patient Services Coordinators | 14,952 | 4.2% |
| Care Coordinators | 11,875 | 3.4% |
| Patient Coordinators | 12,025 | 3.4% |
| Referral Coordinators | 10,538 | 3% |
| Laboratory Managers | 12,562 | 3.6% |
| Clinical Directors | 18,585 | 5.3% |
| Clinical Managers | 12,931 | 3.7% |
| Referral Specialists | 6,551 | 1.9% |
| Clinic Managers | 7,456 | 2.1% |
| Nursing Home Administrators | 10,635 | 3% |
| Directors of Nursing/Registered Nurses | 8,446 | 2.4% |
| Clinical Coordinators | 6,381 | 1.8% |
| Patient Care Managers | 7,354 | 2.1% |
| Laboratory Supervisors | 6,298 | 1.8% |
| Directors of Behavioral Health | 6,492 | 1.8% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for patient care managers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for patient care managers.
How much do patient care managers make?
Patient Care Managers: How do you become one?
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