Roles and Responsibilities of a Healthcare Project Manager

 

Every industry has project managers. The healthcare industry is one of the most complicated and invasive, so project managers must learn new skills to understand the responsibilities of a healthcare project manager.

A report from Georgetown University and the National Institute of Health says that by 2020, there will be about 5.6 million jobs in health care. Project management is an important part of the healthcare industry because it helps hospitals run more efficiently, gives patients high-quality care at reasonable prices, and ensures they are safe.

 

Who Are the Project Managers in Healthcare?

 

Healthcare project managers ensure that work flows smoothly and that communication stays consistent. They must think about what could go wrong with a new project and develop a thorough plan to fix it. They are responsible for more than basic project management requirements and also are responsible for PCRA, ICRA and ILSM.

Their responsibilities span the whole lifecycle of various projects across the company, from planning to execution to completion and beyond. The healthcare industry is rapidly evolving. As a project manager it is up to you to manage completion  of many tasks at once, all of which will have strict due dates.

PMI’s ‘Earning Power, Project Management Salary Study, Eleventh Edition’ reports an average income of $132,086 across 539 respondents. A Healthcare project manager with fifteen years of experience can expect compensation 24% more than a manager with 10 to fifteen years of experience. Pay increases coincide with educational attainment.

 

Essential Skills to Be a Healthcare Project Manager

 

The healthcare project manager must learn to remain calm under pressure. The following are examples of desirable characteristics and abilities:

• Planning
• Leadership
• Communication
• Team Building
• Decision Making

Healthcare businesses use healthcare project managers to adapt and  to keep up with the market, consumer, and technological trends like electronic health records.

A healthcare project manager who plans and evaluates logistical data, clinical trials, and Key Performance Indicators (KPI) can enjoy a fulfilling career and high levels of job satisfaction.

Healthcare project managers have to be at the top of their game because the stakes are higher, there are more outside partners involved, and team members come from different cultures and countries. Therefore project management characteristics are crucial. These are five project management qualities that every project manager in the healthcare industry has to possess.

 

Planning

 

The healthcare project manager must meet deadlines and budget constraints while working within constrained spaces due to peoples lives and health, financial, and human resources. One of the most crucial tasks for healthcare project managers is strategic planning creating adequate and collaborative PCRA, ICRA and ILSM as a minimum; so the healthcare project manager should always take a thorough and systematic approach.

When risks or challenges arise, activities still need to be completed, and resources (time and money) are wasted without established techniques, tracking tools, and follow-ups. The project manager in healthcare services can regularly re-prioritize tasks, timelines, and milestones by creating a workable and adaptable master project plan.

 

Leadership

 

The ability to inspire and direct a diverse group toward a common goal calls for exceptional leadership skills in the healthcare industry. In addition to motivating their teams to do their best and complete projects successfully, effective leaders in healthcare management must also keep a close eye on both.

Healthcare Project Managers understand effective leadership includes coaching, close oversight, and firm reprimands. Managers in the healthcare industry need to be decisive leaders who can empower their staff and confront them when necessary.

 

Communication

 

Managers in the healthcare industry or those in charge of a particular project need to interact with their teams and clients effectively. Other healthcare project managers may need to understand project managers’ messages; therefore, developing transparent standards for sending and receiving information is important.

 Healthcare project managers might benefit from leaders who are skilled communicators because they need objectivity and organization. Healthcare Project managers must be able to communicate clearly and concisely.

 

Team Building

 

Healthcare managers face unprecedented challenges when assembling high-performing project teams due to the widespread dispersion of project participants across time zones, institutions, and regions.

Administrators in the healthcare sector must lay the groundwork for effective teams by ensuring that individuals accept and respect one another and their positions of power.

Healthcare Project Managers should rest easy knowing their projects have a genuine impact once they’ve fostered a shared sense of purpose and strong social relationships among participants.

Healthcare project managers have a wide range of leadership styles, but success requires establishing a cohesive team of healthcare professionals and others.

 

Decision Making

 

Every day, a healthcare project manager has to make dozens of choices that will affect their company’s or hospital’s future. Standard decision-making models can process and conclude even the most complex and consequential judgments. Methods like decision trees and “thinking hats” are included in this category of analysis models.

Healthcare Project managers can use risk management matrices to understand the impact of actions better, the relative weight of various elements, and any gaps in their contingency plans. Learning from past mistakes while remaining open to new information is essential for making sound decisions.

Managing the many facets of a healthcare project is a complex task that calls for a wide range of expertise. Negotiation and persuasion abilities are necessary for a healthcare project manager.

Healthcare Project Managers who oversee programs are frequently called upon to negotiate and reach a consensus. Although it’s a softer social skill, the ability to influence others is crucial for taking an assertive approach to getting things done.

 

Responsibilities of a Healthcare Project Manager

 

Improvements in the process can be made across many different types of work in healthcare organizations by employing project management techniques.

They can be helpful in a variety of settings, including:

• Controlling Duties
• Time and Resource Management
• Change Management
• Task Administration

Numerous healthcare project managers rely on the efforts of others to carry out their jobs. Some things need to be completed before others can get started. System and process efficiency and effectiveness can both maximize with the aid of project management.

 

Schedules and Timekeeping

 

You collaborate with medical experts to boost the effectiveness and quality of healthcare service delivery. Having qualified medical professionals available when needed is crucial to patient care.

Effective scheduling and time management for all employees can be ensured through project management. Maintaining open lines of communication with management and employees is, of course, crucial.

 

Controlling Techniques

 

Your healthcare organization can benefit from better resource allocation with the help of project management. Overhead expenditures, patient fees, and billing must be carefully managed in a healthcare facility’s budget.

 

Change Management

 

Healthcare Project Managers aren’t alone in their aversion to new methods and procedures. There will be less pushback from employees when you use project management to discuss and roll out the change effectively. Also, keep up with the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare legislation and regulation to assess whether or not healthcare institutions are in full compliance.

 

Certifications Required For a Healthcare Project Manager

 

A Healthcare Project Manager should have a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Health Management, Nursing, Public Health Administration, or Health Administration.

In the competitive market, having a more advanced degree and specialized background is good to stand out among experienced candidates. It is also helpful to be certified in Project Management and another accredited training course to prove that you have the expertise for the job.

 

Common Job Titles for Healthcare Project Managers : 

 

There are some well-known job titles for Healthcare Project Managers:

• Project Manager
• Senior Project Manager
• Healthcare Project Manager
• Project Manager – Healthcare
• Associate Project Manager

Salary Expectations of a Healthcare Project Manager

 

The salary expectations of a Healthcare Project Manager vary from location, level of education, specialization, certification, work experience, and type of healthcare facility.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average salary of a Medical and Health Services Manager is $104,280. More than 80% of Project Management and Business Operations Specialists can expect upwards of $135,220. The average pay of a Healthcare Project Manager in the United States is $107,451/year.

 

Conclusion

 

Salaries and job satisfaction are both high in healthcare project management. Dedicated research, ample practice, and proper training can help you have a long and successful career as a healthcare project manager.