Ten healthcare
fields that can't wait to hire you.
by: Max Stein
Healthcare is one of the hottest career fields in
America today. The aging and retiring of the largest
population segment in the country, known as “baby
boomers”, has left the healthcare industry racing
to find enough employees to fill the void. Advances
in medical technology and treatment are causing people
to live longer as well. Add the fact many universities
and colleges don’t have enough teachers to train new
employees; there becomes a ripe market for healthcare
careers.
You would be amazed how many types of healthcare
careers there are available. This article will discuss
three main categories; patient care, non-patient care
and operations. We’ll also discuss an amazing new
trend with tremendous opportunity – home health.
Three main healthcare jobs in the category of patient
care are nursing, medical assisting and dental hygiene.
Nursing consists mainly of direct patient care, but
this can take place in a hospital, private doctor’s
office, or an institution like a school, ski resort
or cruise ship. With additional education or experience,
some nurses become nurse managers, shift supervisors,
epidemiologists, or counsel to insurance companies
and law offices.
Medical assistants primarily provide patient care;
performing routine medical functions to free up the
time of the doctor. In the past, some of these medical
services could only be provided by doctors. Medical
assistants administer medication, take vital signs
and update medical history.
Dental hygienists perform a similar function to medical
assistants, only in a dentist’s office. A hygienist
will clean teeth, advise patients on proper dental
health and assist dentists with more complex procedures.
The outlook for this profession is excellent, with
demand far outpacing supply.
Many non-patient care positions also exist in the
healthcare field.
Medical coding is one such profession. Medical coders
must know terminology and how to read a patient’s
chart. They update medical records every time a patient
receives healthcare. Some upward mobility is available
in management. Many people secure a job as a coder
as a way to subsidize further medical education.
Medical office administration is another healthcare
position that doesn’t involve patient care. These
positions answer phones, coordinate with hospitals
and check in/out patients. Moves to office management
or medical coding/billing are advancement opportunities.
Some people also use this position to further their
education.
Healthcare institutions are a large employer of operational
positions as well.
Information technology professionals are in strong
demand since hospitals utilize state of the art databases
to store patient’s medical and billing records. Database
administrators and web programmers are a vital part
of a hospital’s daily operations.
Medical billing and administration is another key
component of healthcare operations. Medical facilities
hire for billing positions, collections and administrative
support. Special courses / experience are required
in medical terminology and billing to obtain these
types of jobs.
A rapidly growing sector of healthcare where all
of these positions are required is that of home health.
In the next six years, Medicare funding of home healthcare
is expected to double. Over 7.6 million patients are
being treated at home for both long term and short
term care. Home healthcare is considered by the medical
field and health insurers to be the most cost effective,
humane and compassionate method of care.
The shortage of experienced healthcare workers in
the United States is creating a boom for people who
want to enter this field. There are many career options
including positions that involve patient care and
those that don’t. The current shortage of employees
has created excellent starting salaries, generous
benefits and signing bonuses.
For more information on how you can get the proper
training, go here www.top-colleges.com.
About The Author
Max Stein, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
http://www.degreesource.com/articles
Max Stein is a freelance writer who writes about business,
education and marketing.
For daily updates, read our blog at http://degreesource.blogspot.com
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