Featured article by Cher Zevala, Independent Technology Author
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says that the number of health care professionals has increased steadily for more than six decades, and today, more than 11 percent of the entire U.S. population works in health care. As the population expands, the need for health care professionals will continue to grow ― particularly professionals experienced with management, administration, and technology.
There might be fewer television shows about health administrators and IT professionals, but experts assert that administrators will have an increasingly important role in the future of health care. Here’s what you should know about the changing landscape of health and why the back office is more important than the operating room.
Changing Insurance Regulations
Love it or hate it, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has effectively brought quality health care to more Americans. More people than ever are visiting doctors thanks to their new insurance plans: Doctor waiting times are up across the board, and hospitals are filling up with patients who need care.
On one hand, this aligns well with Obamacare’s goals. It means America is using its newfound access to medical treatment and attempting to improve its overall health. On the other hand, it is placing considerable stress on the health care system, and many health care providers are not equipped to handle such an upsurge in business.
As a result, the health care industry is growing at an alarming rate. According to the U.S. News Health Care Index ― which draws data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ― there is a perpetual need for more workers in the field, especially in administrative roles. The increased number of patients requires more effort in the back office, and busy doctors and nurses should not be expected to oversee such tasks. Thus, MHA careers are on the rise for anyone looking to get into a field sure to see continued growth.
What’s more, the impending election could very well cause another upheaval in the American health care system. Educated and experienced administrators will be equipped to guide practices and hospitals through shifting insurance regulations, ensuring medical professionals and their patients can continue to thrive.
Emphasis on Digital Records
Traditional patient files exist in rows upon rows of manila folders that are perpetually subject to trouble. Physical records dissolve in water, burn in fire, and can be slipped out of poorly watched offices. Worse, they can be mislabeled or misinterpreted, causing unknown amounts of suffering. Fortunately, the health care industry has long had a replacement for traditional physical files: digitization.
Called electronic health records (EHRs) or electronic medical records (EMRs), digital patient information is abundantly beneficial. It allows data to be instantly available to attending medical professionals, regardless of location, so treatment times are faster and more efficient. It reduces redundancies and errors that can cause damage or death, so patients leave their health care providers knowing that they are healthy. Additionally, some EHRs (or EMRs) automatically provide patients with follow-up care, improving health overall.
Unfortunately, not all health care facilities are digital-ready, primarily because they lack appropriately trained administrators who can implement such a system. Health care needs IT professionals to assist in the safe and secure operation of EHRs (or EMRs) so the industry can function more fluidly. IT administrators will assume the responsibility of tending these programs for the betterment of the health care system.
More Responsibilities, More Specialization, More Jobs
Specialization is increasing in nearly every industry, but in health care the spike is most noticeable. As we learn more about the human body, tests and treatments are becoming more complex, requiring specific knowledge and experience to complete. Such diversity in care is increasing the difficulty of managing the back office, which is leading to specialization of administrative roles, as well ― and an increase in employment opportunities for administrators.
Today, major hospitals aren’t the only health care facilities that require trained MHAs; small clinics, private practices, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers need that level of administrative expertise. Additionally, organizations related to health, though health care providers, often have a team of medical administrators on staff, so MHAs have prospects with employers such as health care insurers, consulting firms, and public health departments.
Often, an MHA will specialize in a particular field to provide precise proficiency. In the future, experts only expect rates of specialization to increase, so administrators may study and perform particular tasks for their unique employers.
Health care is a stable field because people will always need medical help. However, recent cultural and political changes have improved the prospects for non-medical positions within the industry. Already, health care facilities are failing without the help of qualified administrators, proving that an organized back office is necessary for a healthy population.
