Healthcare Management Position Definitions

System and Hospital Executive Job Title Information

Definitions and Notes

Position Definitions – Health Systems

Chief Executive Office and President
The professional in this position sets the health system’s goals, both short- and long-term objectives for achieving an overall viable and productive organization. This person is tasked with developing all procedures and policies providing guidance toward their implementation. In all systems, organizations and businesses, this is the top executive positron reporting to the board of directors.

Chief Operating Officer
The professional in this position is responsible for supervising the entire system following all budgets and operating plans. Tasked with coordinating all operations throughput all system departments making sure the system’s objectives, all short- and long-term goals are met satisfactorily. This professional serves at the second-highest position reporting directly to the system president and/or CEO.

CMO – Chief Medical Officer
The professional filling this position must be an M.D. Responsibilities include the overseeing, coordinating and planning of all medical activity for a health system. The CMO creates and then supervises the implementation of policies and standards that match staffing goals to the health system established goals. The CMO makes sure the system medical staff complies with all regulatory and legal requirements. Usually the CMO reports to the Chief Executive Officer/President.

CFO – Chief Financial Officer
This professional is responsible for all health system financial plans, organization and supervising any and all activities related to financial activities. These would include, but not limited to, reimbursements, accounting, budgeting and management for a health system’s financial well being. This professional also creates and implements procedures and policies relating to all accounting practices. This individual also may have responsibilities for information systems as well. Usually reports to the CEO/President or COO, Chief Operating Officer.

Chief Information Officer
This professional position manages all information systems.This includes mainframe and network operations, system development and operations, and applications development and programming. Establishes and implements policies, procedures, and standards for all information systems activities. May also oversee telecommunications. Typically reports to the President/Chief Executive Officer or Chief Operating Officer.

Top Patient Care Executive
This professional executes all organization planning along with the direction and evaluation of patient care delivery through system nursing functions such as respiratory care, emergency medicine, maternity, surgery and more. Suggests and institutes procedures and policies leading to improved effectiveness delivering patient care of the highest quality. Usually this professional health manager reports to either the COO or CEO.

Top Nursing Services Executive
The professional in this health manager position organizes, plans, directs and evaluates health system nursing services. Makes recommendations and conducts implementation of nursing function procedures and policies with goals set toward providing an effective delivery of top-quality services. This manager has nursing only responsibilities reporting to either the COO or CEO.

Top Managed Care Executive
The health manager occupying this position plans,evaluates and implements a variety of managed care components including Long-Term Care,PPOs, HMOs and more for the entire health system. Financial and quality performance standards for managed care vendor contracts are established by the manager in this position. Tasked wit contract performance monitoring and evaluation. Chief system contract negotiator with all managed plans who usually reports to the CFO or CEO.

Top Human Resources Executive
This position is responsible for the development and execution of system-wide programs and policies. This professional makes sure all human resource programs (e.g., employment, compensation and benefits, employee/labor relations, education and training, employee health and safety, etc.) support, and are compatible with the organization’s human resource plans. This person usually reports to the President/CEO, COO or the Chief Administrative Officer.

Top Professional Services Executive
The professional occupying this position organizes, plans, directs and evaluates a number or the health organization’s functions (e.g., diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, rehabilitation, pharmacy services, etc.). This person usually reports to the President/CEO or COO.

Top Support Services Executive
This professional plans, directs and coordinates various health soranization’s support systems (e.g., housekeeping, maintenance, dietary services, security, etc.). This person usually reports to the President/CEO or COO.

Top Ambulatory Care Executive
This professional plans, directs and manages the overall non-emergency care services operation for the health organization. This would include outpatient clinics, outpatient surgery as well as urgent care centers company-wide. This person usually reports to the President/CEO or COO.

Top Facilities Executive
This person plans, develops, and supervises long-term objectives, policies, and procedures for all departments and functions relating to maintenance, equipment, grounds, and building operations system-wide. This person reports to the Chief Operating Officer or Chief Financial Officer.

Top Legal Services Executive
Responsible for planning and coordinating all legal activities of the health system. Directs in-house counsel and coordinates activities of outside counsel. Ensures organizational activities meet legal and regulatory requirements. Typically reports to the President/Chief Executive Officer.

Top Marketing Executive
This executive develops, directs, and executes the comprehensive, system-wide marketing strategy. Activity includes marketing new and existing programs and services, conducting market research, and advertising via various media. Usually reports to the President/Chief Executive Officer.

Position Definitions – Hospitals

President and Chief Executive Officer, Freestanding Hospital: Responsible for establishing and achieving the hospital’s short- and long-term objectives and for the overall viability of the hospital. Develops policies and procedures and provides guidance with the implementation. This is the top executive in a freestanding (independent) hospital. Reports to the Board.
President and Chief Executive Officer, System-Owned Hospital: Responsible for establishing and achieving the hospital’s short- and long-term objectives and for the overall viability of the hospital. This is the top executive in a system-owned (subsidiary) hospital. Typically reports to the health system senior management or the Board.
Chief Operating Officer, Freestanding Hospital: Responsible for managing the overall hospital operations in accordance with plans and budgets. Coordinates efforts of the executives to ensure the hospital’s goals and objectives are achieved. This is the second-highest executive-level position in a freestanding (independent) hospital. Reports to the freestanding hospital’s President/Chief Executive Officer.
Chief Operating Officer, System-Owned Hospital: Responsible for managing the overall hospital operations in accordance with plans and budgets. Coordinates efforts of the executives to ensure the hospital’s goals and objectives are achieved. This is the second-highest executive-level position in a system-owned (subsidiary) hospital. Typically reports to the health system senior management or the Board.
Chief Medical Officer, Freestanding Hospital: Responsible for planning, coordinating, and overseeing the medical affairs of a freestanding (independent) hospital. Establishes and implements standards and policies to align medical staff goals with those of the hospital. Ensures medical staff comply with all legal and regulatory requirements. Typically reports to the freestanding hospital’s President/Chief Executive Officer. This position requires an M.D.
Chief Medical Officer, System-Owned Hospital: Responsible for planning, coordinating, and overseeing the medical affairs of a system-owned (subsidiary) hospital. Establishes and implements standards and policies to align medical staff goals with those of the hospital. Ensures medical staff comply with all legal and regulatory requirements. Typically reports to the system-owned hospital’s President/Chief Executive Officer. This position requires an M.D.
Chief Financial Officer, Freestanding Hospital: Responsible for planning, organizing, and directing all functions related to financial management, budgeting, accounting, reimbursement, etc. of the freestanding (independent) hospital. Establishes and implements policies and procedures related to accounting practices. May have responsibility for information systems. Typically reports to the freestanding hospital’s President/Chief Executive Officer or Chief Operating Officer.
Chief Financial Officer, System-Owned Hospital: Responsible for planning, organizing, and directing all functions related to financial management, budgeting, accounting, reimbursement, etc. of the system-owned (subsidiary) hospital. Establishes and implements policies and procedures related to accounting practices. May have responsibility for information systems. Typically reports to the system-owned hospital’s President/Chief Executive Officer or Chief Operating Officer.
Chief Information Officer: Responsible for all information systems, including mainframe and network operations, system development and operations, and applications development and programming. Establishes and implements policies, procedures, and standards for all information systems activities. May also oversee telecommunications. Typically reports to the President/Chief Executive Officer or Chief Operating Officer.
Patient Care Services Executive: Responsible for organizing, planning, directing, and evaluating all nursing functions and patient care services (e.g., social services, emergency medicine, and respiratory care services) for the hospital. Recommends and implements policies and procedures to improve efficiency and delivery of quality patient care. Typically reports to the President/Chief Executive Officer or Chief Operating Officer.
Nursing Services Executive: Responsible for organizing, planning, directing, and evaluating the nursing services for the hospital. Recommends and implements policies and procedures to improve efficiency and delivery of quality nursing services. This position is responsible for nursing functions only. Typically reports to the President/Chief Executive Officer or Chief Operating Officer.
Managed Care Executive: Responsible for planning, evaluating, and implementing various managed care programs (e.g., HMOs, PPOs, long-term care) for the hospital. Establishes quality and financial performance standards for managed care contracts and products and monitors their performance. Negotiates contracts with managed care companies and health plans. Typically reports to the President/Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer.
Human Resources Executive: Responsible for developing and implementing all human resource policies and programs for the hospital. Ensures all human resource programs (e.g., employment, compensation and benefits, employee/labor relations, education and training, employee health and safety, etc.) support, and are aligned with, the hospital’s human resource strategies. Typically reports to the President/Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, or Chief Administrative Officer.
Professional Services Executive: Responsible for organizing, planning, directing, and evaluating three or more of the hospital’s professional functions (e.g., diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, rehabilitation, pharmacy services, etc.). Typically reports to the President/Chief Executive Officer or Chief Operating Officer.
Support Services Executive: Responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating three or more of the hospital’s support functions (e.g., housekeeping, maintenance, dietary services, security, etc.). Typically reports to the President/Chief Executive Officer or Chief Operating Officer.
Ambulatory Services Executive: Responsible for planning, directing, and managing the non-emergency care services, including outpatient clinics, outpatient surgery, and urgent care centers for the hospital. Typically reports to the President/Chief Executive Officer or Chief Operating Officer.
Facilities Executive: Responsible for planning, developing, and overseeing the long-term objectives, policies, and procedures for all departments and functions relating to maintenance, equipment, grounds, and building operations for the hospital. Typically reports to the Chief Operating Officer or Chief Financial Officer.
Legal Services Executive: Responsible for planning and coordinating all legal activities of the hospital. Directs in-house counsel and coordinates activities of outside counsel. Ensures organizational activities meet legal and regulatory requirements. Typically reports to the President/Chief Executive Officer.
Marketing Executive: Responsible for developing, directing, and executing a comprehensive, hospital-wide marketing strategy. This includes marketing new and existing programs and services, conducting market research, and advertising via various media. Typically reports to the President/Chief Executive Officer or Chief Operating Officer.