Boom market continues for nonclinical healthcare jobs

Demand remains sky-high for nonclinical and frontline jobs in the healthcare industry due to a host of factors, including the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a new report indicates.

The workforce trend report, released by Southern New Hampshire University's College for America, says these jobs comprise 42 percent of the healthcare workforce, and include such fast-growing professions as patient representatives, community health workers, medical records technicians, office supervisors, medical office specialists and medical assistants.

Another recent report by AMN Healthcare highlighted growing demand for four similar nonclinical positions: care coordinators, navigators, clinical documentation specialists and chief population health officers.

Why these jobs are in particularly high demand can be traced to not only the ACA but to industry-wide trends such as an increased emphasis on providing an exceptional patient experience, the growth of community-based healthcare initiatives, the increased use of technology in clinical settings and ongoing baby boomer retirements, the report says.

Specifically in reference to improving the patient experience, the report indicates that healthcare providers should look to hire individuals who can do the following:

  • Effectively communicate with patients and families
  • Listen for the opportunity to provide an empathic response
  • Resolve conflict
  • Build patient confidence by effectively managing the organization and its staff
  • Clearly communicate their role, task at hand and duration
  • Conduct critical conversations in a compassionate way

The entire healthcare and social assistance sector was projected to add 5 million jobs between 2012 and 2012, accounting for nearly one-third of the total projected increase in jobs, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The agency attributes this growth mainly to "the demand for healthcare workers to address the needs of an aging population."

The hiring surge also comes as the financial burdens on healthcare providers associated with the ACA have begun to fade, FierceHealthcare previously reported.  

To learn more:
- here's the report