Health Care Industry Overview The health care industry has many career opportunities that are available and many of these areas have little or no patient interaction.
All of these fields are just as vital to patient care and the seamless running of a healthcare organization as the clinical patient care is. Medical device sales, clinical engineering, health information management, and healthcare risk management all happen daily in the health care industry and are hardly ever seen. A medical device sales career is part of the manufacture industry and focus on selling medical equipment and supplies to the healthcare industry.Job prospects are best for those with a college degree, medical knowledge and the personal traits necessary for successful selling. A successful salesman must stay current on the latest advancements and has to have continual education and training on new devices. Opportunities for employment may fluctuate by changing economic conditions, but these jobs are an important part of manufacturer’s success and are expected to grow by seven percent between the years 2008-2018 (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010).
Sales representatives have large territories and travel considerable.Because of the large area they must cover, they may be away from home for several days or weeks at a time traveling by airplane or car. Wages in the field range from as low as 34,980 to as high as 133,040. The median annual wage is 70,200 including commissions, in May 2008 (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010). Medical device sales is always expanding and because of new medical advancements.
Clinical engineering’s role in the healthcare industry is critical to the operation of the organization and the care of its patients.Their primary responsibility is implementing medical technology, but they also act as technological consultants in the purchasing of new equipment, service repair, maintenance, and work with governmental regulators on hospital inspections (Wikipedia, 2010). A bachelor’s degree in engineering is required and the job growth is projected to be 72% over the next decade (Occupational outlook handbook 2010-2011 edition, 2010). The aging population and a growing focus on healthcare will drive the demand for better medical devices and equipment.New medical advancements, procedures, and the sophisticated medical equipment will require the boost in demand for clinical engineers.
In a hospital a clinical engineer will work on many types of machines; such as x-ray, CT, MRI, ventilators, and monitors to make sure that they are in working order. Making sure that the equipment is working properly is just one area, but they must make sure that the machines are talking to the RIS system, PACS, night hawk system, and the electronic medical record.All of this equipment must communicate with each other and the patients chart to keep the flow of care continuing. Health information management is the gate keeper of the patient’s medical record and the financial wellbeing of the organization.
They collect, maintain, and release information to clinicians or financial institutions. Responsibilities for making sure that record are completed and signed by physicians in order for proper payment. Several career opportunities in health information management exist upon completion of an accredited program.Managing, coding, transcription, and utilization review are just a few of the careers that a heath care provider can go into. Managing the department requires a bachelor’s degree and becoming certified as a registered health information administrator.
Their job is to guarantee medical, legal, and ethical standards are kept. They specialize in data management and data quality. A medical coder is an individual who uses published codes such as HCPT and ICD-9 for reporting services and product provided to the patient. This process is necessary to be able to submit a claim to the patient’s insurance company for payment.
Accurate documentation and code are critical in reimbursement from insurance companies. A coder must have a degree or certification from an accredited program in coding and be registered. Transcription of medical records has changed over the years from typewriter to computers and has evolved into digital recordings. They are now commonly known as editors and need to have several key elements to be successful. A broad knowledge of medical terminology, fast accurate typing skills, and word processing skills are just a few skills necessary.A degree or certificate is not required, but most originations prefer one.
The majority of editor’s work from home and with advancements in technology the field will continue to grow. The median hourly wage is 15. 41 but can vary if paid by the lines they transcribe (Occupational outlook handbook 2010-2011 edition, 2010)..
A career in utilization review requires an individual with a clinical background and is often nurses. Utilization review it used to evaluate the efficiency and appropriateness, necessity of health care service that patients receive.This is done by auditing medical charts and to ensure that patients are receiving appropriate services, reduce adverse reactions, eliminate unnecessary treatment, and deliver services more efficiently. Some managed care systems, such as Medicaid; require utilization review to be performed to ensure medical necessity (Ehow, 2010).
Healthcare risk management is an area that focuses on reducing medical errors, safety, and compliance with federal and state laws (Ehow, 2010). They also recommend and formulate policies, procedures, and guidelines for department within the hospital to prevent occurrence from happening.A person in the position will investigate claims or accidents to patients or employees. They will report their finding and form an action plan to reduce repeated occurrences. A bachelor’s degree in health care management is required, but they must also have strong verbal and interpersonal skills. The risk management department is often the area that makes sure the hospital is ready for a JACHO inspection and that all standards are being met.
The average salary of a risk manager is 78,000 in 2010 and the field is expected to grow in the future(Ehow, 2010).The healthcare industry has many career opportunities for individuals who do not wish to have direct patient contact. Most of these areas require a degree or certification for employment in a hospital. Many of these areas are vital to the organizations operation and success in patient care, finical reimbursement, documentation, and employee and patient safety. Medicare sales, risk management, health information, and clinical engineering are just a few of the areas that work behind the scenes daily in a hospital. These areas are changing and expanding with new technology and are good areas for employment and advancement.
