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HCAD 600 Group 2: The Future of Healthcare: Macro-Trends Effect on Healthcare Careers
- 1. The Future of Healthcare: Macro-Trends Effect on Healthcare Careers Group 2 ❖ Allison Kuchar ❖ Micole Matthews ❖ Brittany Williams
- 2. Current Healthcare Employment Statistics Torpey, 2014, p. 29: Occupational Outlook Quarterly
- 3. Healthcare Industry in the U.S.: Career Outlook -Projected to be among the fastest-growing industries in the U.S. economy -By 2022, over 4 million new jobs will be available for both current and future healthcare professionals Torpey, 2014, p.28: Occupational Outlook Quarterly
- 4. Emerging Macro-Tends in the U.S. Healthcare System Industrial growth within the U.S. Healthcare System is a byproduct of evolution within the following Healthcare sectors: ● Economy ● Demographics ● Personal Lifestyles and Behaviors ● Technologies ● Federal and State Government Policies
- 5. Overall Healthcare Economy -Healthcare expenditures in the US exceed $2 trillion a year -Federal budget is $3 trillion a year -NHE Growth of 5.7& by 2023 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 2014
- 6. Contributing Factors -Difficulty obtaining, affording, and receiving healthcare services -Unnecessary use of expensive facilities -Rising rates of chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and obesity Herzlinger, 2000, p.5
- 7. A Reshaped Healthcare System ● Invincibility of focused healthcare systems ● Advocacy for more convenience and support ● Client-centered structure for healthcare delivery services and processes ● Focus on preventing and treating chronic diseases ● Providing care to underserved populations
- 8. Career Example: Healthcare Manager: Administrator III ● Directs, supervises, and manages human and fiscal resources ● Oversees office education and financial operations within the Department of Medicine http://www.medstargeorgetown.jobs/jobs/Administrator_III/Department_of_Medi cine/Washington_Washington_D_C_/100/84645/?rcmo_src=Indeed&source=In deed.com&sponsored=0
- 9. Morphing Demographics: Aging Baby Boomers and the Increased Demand for Senior Living Communities -40% increase of those aged 65 or older by 2020 -Where will they live?! Torpey, 2014 p. 30
- 11. Solution: “Cities of All Ages” United Nations 2007 Global Age-Friendly Cities Project Report: ● Raised global awareness to create “Cites for All Ages” ● Provided a blueprint for age-friendly initiatives in America ● Highlights the need for U.S. to establish affordable, appropriate, and wide-ranged housing for Seniors Kennedy, 2010 p.70
- 12. Senior Communities with Assisted Living Services ● Baby boomers voice a desire to age in place ● Cities must develop and embrace age-friendly communities that are accommodating and attractive ● These communities must provide a multitude of living options to encompass aging stages in life ● Demand for such services = increase in construction of ALF’s + influx of career opportunities Kennedy, 2010 p.70
- 13. Career Outlook: Nursing & Residential Care Facilities -By 2020: creation of over 761,000 new jobs Torpey, 2014 p. 30
- 14. Career Outlook: Assisted Living -Employ healthcare professionals from a variety of backgrounds: ● Health Admin ● Health Information Technology ● nursing ● Complementary Therapies ● Human Resources Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA), n.d.
- 15. Career Example: Assisted Living Manager -Leads and directs the delivery of non-clinical resident care, ensuring exceptional quality and services while maintaining compliance with federal, state, and local regulations and organizational standards -Directly manages the Assisted Living care and service team and serves as a member of the communities leadership team http://seniorlivingcareers.alfa.org/jobs/6585408/assisted-living-manager
- 16. Additional Opportunities -Successful expansion of senior housing faces economic and societal barriers ● Zoning ordinances & funding policies -Creates opportunities for local, state, and federal policy makers, builders, and consumers to collaborate with experts in field of aging -End result?!: More jobs for healthcare professionals! Kennedy, 2010 p. 71
- 17. Personal Lifestyles and Behaviors: Obesity in America -Annual healthcare cost of nearly $200 billion -Accounts for over 21% of medical costs in the U.S. today Weight -control Information Network, 2012
- 18. Obesity Statistics ● 41 states have obesity rates over 25% ● 2/3 of adults and nearly 1/3 of children suffer from this condition ● Obesity is an underlying factor of several chronic conditions ● By 2030, estimated costs could rise from $43 billion to $66 billion each year Brill, 2013 p. 6
- 20. Contributing Factors ● Affordable and equal access to nutritional foods, especially among minorities ● Increased cost of fresh foods in low-income neighborhoods ● Lack of public transportation to supermarkets ● Low stocks of nutritional foods Hojatt, 2014
- 21. Career Outlook ● As the U.S. population increases, more citizens are expected to seek treatment for chronic conditions ● To accommodate needs, additional healthcare workers are needed ● Preventative initiatives, weight management programs, & nutritional education movements Torpey, 2014 p. 30
- 22. Career Example: Supervisory Program Specialist ● Integral program manager who oversees a variety of dietary, food, and nutritional services ● Directs and oversees the implementation and evaluation of program operates https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/386560500
- 23. Emerging E-Technologies: The New Age of Health Information Management and Dissemination https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODgjGfC4opE
- 24. Emerging E-Technologies ● Includes innovative e-health technologies and medical supportive devices ● Focus to empower personal health improvement ● Integrates a variety of healthcare applications to assist with preventive health initiatives, personalized medicine, and patient-centered care ● Heathcare Technology Management (HTM) industry will evolve in unison Griffin, 2014 p.232
- 25. E-Health Technologies Examples: ● Electronic Health Records ● Telemedicine ● Medical Devices -All offer a variety of job opportunities for both present and future healthcare professionals!
- 26. Career Outlook: E-Health Technologies ● Examples: ○ interdisciplinary designers ○ developers ○ human factors experts ○ biomedical equipment technicians (BMETs) ○ clinical engineers (CEs) ○ information technology (IT) specialists ○ managers ● All involved in planning and development process of these various technologies Griffin, 2014 p.232
- 27. Career Example: Biomedical Clinical Engineers -Have the responsibility to install and maintain medical devices and equipment in hospitals. -Train doctors and nurses on how to properly operate these devices in the healthcare setting -Supervise biomedical engineer technicians who repair and monitor hospital equipment http://educationportal.com/articles/Biomedical_Clinical_Engineer_Job_Descripti on_Duties_and_Requirements.html
- 28. Uninsured Americans: Eliminating Health Disparities
- 29. Federal/State Policies -The challenge of achieving and maintaining fair, accessible, and affordable health insurance seems unavoidable. -Health reform aims to eliminate disparities in healthcare -Equity for all calls for the rallying of both private and public programs for American citizens to receive affordable health insurance and adequate healthcare services Fronstin, McGinn-Shapiro, & Shields, 2008, 0. 137
- 30. Addressing Health Disparities -Healthcare and policy makers must pay attention to managing and enforcing newly reformed federal, state, and local healthcare laws -“Success in reducing disparities will require both providing health insurance coverage to all Americans and sufficient comprehensiveness of benefits within both private and public health insurance to meet enrollees’ healthcare needs” (Fronstin, McGinn-Shaprio, & Shields, 2008 p. 146- 147).
- 31. Lack of Obtainable Data: Medicaid Programs ● Limits the way in which discrepancies in care between those who are uninsured and between those who are insured under private health plans are tracked and documented ● The adoption of a well-monitored, efficient documentation system is necessary to track the successes and failures of this reform Frostin et. al, 2008, p. 147
- 32. Career Outlook: Healthcare Insurance Industry -Increase in positions that focus on the implementation of innovative programs that raise public awareness on understanding the stipulations of health insurance and the importance of having coverage -More people covered = more jobs to service these people Torpey, 2014, p. 30
- 33. Career Example: Insurance Claims Specialist -Review insurance claims to determine whether or not an individual is covered under a particular policy. -Managers of insurance claims specialists in the healthcare industry must be well educated on the responsibilities of the position as they oversee, lead and at times step in to fulfill the need of the client or individual seeking verification of an insurance policy and what is covered. http://education-portal. com/articles/Job_Description_of_an_Insurance_Claims_Specialist.html
- 34. Prime Opportunities ● Creation of 4.1 million jobs in the healthcare industry by 2022 ● Growth of 26% in healthcare employment by 2022 Torpey, 2014 p. 30
- 35. Explored Macro-Trends 1. Increasing national health expenditures 2. Morphing demographics from aging baby boomers 3. Increasing rates of obesity 4. Emerging e-health technologies 5. Evolving federal and state government policies
- 36. References Association for Corporate Growth. (2014, May 1). The macro trends affecting healthcare. Retrieved from http://acgcapitalblog.com/annual-growth-conference/macro-trendsaffecting-health-care/ Brill, A. (2013, April). Campaign to end obesity. Matrix Global Advisors. 1-31. Retrieved from http://campaigntoendobesity.org/documents/FinalLong-TermReturnsofObesityPreventionPolicies.pdf Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (September 29th, 2014). NHE Factsheet. Retrieved from http://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-andReports/NationalHealthExpendData/ NHE-Fact-Sheet.html Fronstin, P., McGinn-Shapiro, M., Shields, A.E. (2008) Trends in Private Insurance, Medicaid/State Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Healthcare Safety Net. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Vol. 1136. 137-148 doi:10.1196/annals.1425.029 Griffin, M. (2014) A Brave New World of Healthcare Technology. Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology. doi:10.2345/0899-8205-48.3.232
- 37. References Cont. Herzlinger, R. (2000). US economic revolution: mapping the future of healthcare. Pharmacoeconomics, 18(3), 3-6. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=e9ba8b05-ffea-42bb-a558 c1f479f4abb1%40sessionmgr4005&hid=4111 Hojjat, T. A. (2014). The economic analysis of obestiy. Review Of Business & Finance Studies, 6(1), 81-98. Kennedy, C. (2010). The city of 2050 – an age-friendly, vibrant, intergenerational community.Generations, 34(3). 70. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=e6cda16f-f378-45f6-8aa8-55f742687c7 b%40sessionmgr4001&vid=1&hid=4208 Torpey, E. (2014). Healthcare: Millions of jobs now and in the future. Occupational Outlook Quarterly, 58(1), 27. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=3ddaf68e-6683-4adb-ae53-38cbc75ee534% 40sessionmgr113&vid=1&hid=111 Weight-control Information Network. (2012, October). Overweight and obesity statistics. Retrieved from http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/statistics/
Editor's Notes
- The displayed data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the healthcare industry has been growing steadily for a number of years - mainly because people depend on health services no matter what the economic climate (Torpey, 2014 p. 29).
- By 2022, the healthcare industry, which is projected to be among the fastest-growing industries in the US. Economy, will add over 4 million jobs for both current and future healthcare professionals (Torpey, 2014 p28). The majority of these jobs will be most prevalent in the industries of hospitals, offices of health practitioners, nursing and residential care facilities, home healthcare services, and outpatient, laboratory, and other ambulatory services (Torpey).
- Industrial growth within the U.S. healthcare system will be a direct byproduct of macro-trends emerging in the U.S. healthcare system, such as those related to the overall economy, morphing demographics, personal lifestyles and behaviors, emerging technologies, and evolving federal and state government policies. As a result, this growing, heavily diverse healthcare industry will present an inordinate amount of career opportunities for healthcare managers in the next 10 years. We will continue to move through this presentation by briefly discussing a current sector within each macro-trend and then exploring the impact each trend has within the occupational market of the healthcare industry.
- Our first macro-trend to explore is that of the overall healthcare economy. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services, health care expenditures in the United States exceed $2 trillion a year. In comparison, the federal budget is $3 trillion a year. The chart provided in this slide provides a shocking visual of the increase of health care expenditures in the US over the last 54 years. In fact, by 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“Projected NHE 2012-2023,” para. 3) estimates that NHE are projected to grow at a rate of 5.7% and will account for 19.3% of the Gross Domestic Product in the U.S.
- Despite these massive expenditures, the current healthcare system in the U.S. has not achieved the most fundamental goal to be a country full of citizens who are generally in good health. In fact, a large proportion of citizens have difficulty obtaining, affording, and receiving healthcare services that they need. This lack of convenience not only causes unnecessary use of expensive facilities and inhibits necessary, cost-effective health promoting measures, but also diminishes national productivity (Herzlinger, 2000, p. 5), indicating that this broken system will continue to cost the U.S. inordinate amounts of money and that these costs will continue to rise each year. In addition, rates of chronic diseases, which account for over 75% of America’s health expenditures, are on the rise.
- According to Herzlinger (2000, p. 5) the invincibility of focused healthcare systems paired with advocacy for more convenience and support in these systems will dramatically reshape the current healthcare industry and methods for delivering these services. This reshaped system will feature a healthcare delivery process that is organized by clients’ needs, rather than those of the providers. Consequentially, the provider-centered structure that is characteristic of today’s healthcare system will be replaced by organizations that focus on preventing and treating chronic diseases and those organizations that serve specific populations and areas of the healthcare system that are poorly served – such as women’s, rural, and diagnostic healthcare. In addition, convenience to access these services will be enhanced by integrating diverse providers of care from newly established, convenient locations, such as from one’s home, in town centers, on the phone, or on a personal computer. The result of these successful, focused efforts will substantially reduce healthcare costs, increase the overall health status in the U.S., and provide a multitude of new career opportunities within the healthcare industry.
- Presently, an estimated 100,000 people occupy health management positions at numerous organizational levels, ranging from department heads to chief executive officers. As our healthcare system continues to evolve, the demand for competent, driven individuals to direct, supervise, and manage differing healthcare teams will increase in unison. The Administrator III with Medstar Georgetown University Hospital (n.d., para. 1), who plans, organizes and manages essential functions within the Department of Medicine related to finances, budgets, and office education, is one example of a health management position. For those of you who are interested in exploring such a position, the link has been provided.
- Moving on to our second macro-trend for discussion, we will explore a sector of morphing demographics of within the U.S. population base - specifically aging baby boomers and the increased demand for senior living communities. There is no doubt that the aging of the world’s population is a frontrunner of twenty-first century challenges. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that between 2012 and 2020 there will be a 40% increase of those aged 65 or older.
- The statistics from the BLS, paired with evidence reported by the US. Census Bureau, indicate the future, necessary shift in the social, economic, and demographic realities of the U.S. to accommodate the unique needs of this population. As baby boomers begin to reach the age of retirement in parallel with the increase of medical technologies and other medical advances that are able to keep people alive longer, the need to expand the housing spectrums and hubs of services of older adults is essential to support the healthcare needs, leisure desires, and living preferences of these American seniors (Kennedy, 2010).
- Recognizing the aging of the world’s population as a frontrunner of twenty-first century challenges, the United Nations, in its 2007 Global Age-Friendly Cities Project report, began to raise global awareness about the need to create “Cities for All Ages” (Kennedy, 2010 p. 70). Consequentially, this report provides a blueprint for age-friendly initiatives in America and highlights the need for the U.S. to establish affordable and appropriate housing for seniors within supportive communities that provide a wide range of features, services, and adequate mobility options, which together, “facilitate personal independence and engagement of residents in civic and social life” (Kennedy).
- With many baby boomers expressing the desire to “age in place,” the need for cities to develop and embrace age-friendly communities, such as Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs), that are vibrant and accommodating enough to attract and retain America’s older generation is essential (Kennedy, 2010). Combined with the need for aging service providers to adopt more holistic approaches (Kennedy, 2010), the construction of ALFs in the U.S. and demand for additional aging service providers to service these facilities indicates an unavoidable increase in career opportunities within the long-term care field in the near future (Assisted Living Federation
- As the demand for the construction of new ALF’s begins, a multitude of positions varying in responsibility will be available for both current and rising healthcare professionals to fill. A variety of other opportunities of this nature will be prominent in upcoming years, as the creation of over 761,000 new jobs is expected in nursing and residential care facilities by 2022 (Torpey, 2014 p30).
- Presently, ALFs which account for only a small portion of the different types of nursing and residential care facilities in America, employ healthcare professionals from a variety of different backgrounds - including health administration, health information technology, nursing, complementary therapies, marketing, and human resources (Assisted Living Federation of America, n.d.).
- A gathering of these available positions, like the Assisted Living Manager who leads and directs the delivery of non-clinical resident care and directly manages the Assisted Living care and service team, can be viewed on the Assisted Living Federation of America website under the Career Center section (ALFA, n.d.).
- Finally, although the need to expand the number of senior housing options is undeniable, cities face many economic and societal barriers to participate in these housing initiatives, which include zoning ordinances, funding policies, and individual organizational agendas (Kennedy, 2010, p. 71). According to Kennedy, these barriers uncover the additional need for local, state, and federal policy makers, builders, and consumers to not only collaborate with one another, but to include the input of experts in the field of aging when creating policy changes in the future as it relates to our aging population. As these economic and societal barriers are addressed, additional career opportunities for healthcare professionals will also become available.
- With an annual healthcare cost of nearly $200 billion, obesity accounts for over 21% of medical costs in the U.S. today (Weight-control Information Network, 2012, “Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity”).
- Twenty years ago, not a single state in the U.S. had an obesity rate above 15% percent, but today, there are 41 states with obesity rates over 25% (Weight-control Information Network, 2012, “Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity”), indicating that two-thirds of adults and nearly one-third of U.S. children suffer from this condition. Obesity is an underlying factor in the onset of several chronic conditions—CVD, diabetes and some types of cancer—and contributes to poor health outcomes and is also associated with higher medical costs and a lower quality of life. Should this obesity trend continue, researches estimate that obesity related medical costs could rise by $43 to $66 billion each year in the United States by 2030 (Brill, 2013, p. 6).
- Disparities found within the condition - mexican Americans boys between the ages of 12-19 suffer at a rate nearly 2x more than non-hispanic white American boys in the same age range.
- Contributing further to this obesity epidemic is the challenge to provide affordable and equal access to nutritional food for all Americans. Minorities, as well as Americans with a low socioeconomic status, disproportionately suffer from insufficient consumption of healthy foods due to barriers of accessibility and affordability (Hojjat, 2014). Among other factors, the disproportionate access to nutritional foods can be attributed to the increased cost of fresh foods in low-income neighborhoods, lack of public transportation to supermarkets and grocery stores, and low stocks of nutritional foods in supermarkets and grocery stores in low-income areas.
- As the U.S. population continues to increase, more citizens are expected to seek treatment for chronic conditions, such as obesity (Torpey, 2014 p. 30). To accommodate these needs, additional healthcare workers will be needed to “help prevent, manage, and treat concerns associated with this condition” (Torpey) by participating in a variety preventative initiatives, weight management programs, nutritional education movements, and other empowering campaigns geared towards healthier choices and behaviors.
- One such position, the Supervisory Program Specialist, is considered to be an integral program managerial role that oversees a variety of dietary, food, and nutritional services (USA Jobs, 2014, “Job Summary”). Among other responsibilities, an individual in this role is expected to direct and oversee the implementation and evaluation of program operations to ensure nutrition assistance programs are administered in compliance with laws, regulations, and policies.
- As our healthcare system continues to evolve, new e-health technologies will continue to emerge, ultimately paving the way for a new age of health information management and dissemination within the U.S. Healthcare system. As discussed during the 2014 Mid-Atlantic Growth Conference on Healthcare Analytics and Big Data (Annual Growth Conference, 2014) the U.S. healthcare system is constantly changing and evolving. With laws, such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), operating to provide accessible healthcare to people in the U.S., the implementation of new technologies, with aims to make treatments and services rendered more effective and efficient, are on the rise. Attached is a youtube video for further viewing that discusses the benefits associated with technology enabled healthcare
- As explored in an article in Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology (Griffin, 2014, p. 232), the rise of such technologies are attributed to pioneering businessmen, who are devising innovative models of e-Health technologies as well as supportive devices. These e-health technologies, which focus to empower personal health improvement, integrate a variety of healthcare applications to assist with preventive health initiatives, personalized medicine, and patient-centered care. With the ever-changing healthcare industry implementing these new technologies at a seemingly rapid pace, it is foreseeable that this sector of health management technology will evolve in unison – ultimately remaining an integral field within the healthcare technology management (HTM) industry (Griffin, 2014).
- Evolving e-health technologies and other medical advancements, such as Electronic Health Records, Telemedicine, and other technologically advanced medical devices, offer job opportunities for both present and future healthcare professionals who provide these services.
- To evolve in unison with the HTM industry, healthcare professionals must become involved in the planning and development process of these various technologies instead of responding or adapting to them after they have been implemented. According to Griffin (2014, p. 232), for future healthcare professionals to be innovative and effective within the healthcare field, they must possess the ability to confront obstacles within their respective roles as interdisciplinary designers, developers, human factors experts, biomedical equipment technicians (BMETs), clinical engineers (CEs), information technology (IT) specialists, managers, administrators, and regulators. With these opportunities emerging within the realm of healthcare technology, healthcare professionals have the chance to provide input during the reshaping phase of a new era of health information management and dissemination. This active participation of healthcare professionals will, in turn, provide opportunities for employment within the HTM industry.
- For example, healthcare professionals working as Biomedical Clinical Engineers (Education Portal, n.d.) have the responsibility to install and maintain a variety of medical devices and equipment in hospitals. Oftentimes, these individuals will train doctors and nurses to properly operate these devices in the healthcare setting and may also be integral in developing new medical devices that improve the quality of healthcare services in hospitals and other healthcare settings. From a managerial standpoint, these individuals also supervise biomedical engineer technicians who repair and monitor hospital equipment. As various healthcare systems increasingly integrate the use of e-health technologies, the employment of individuals who are familiar with these technologies, such as the Biomedical Clinical Engineer, will be essential.
- Final maco-trend to explore is involved with federal and state policies in the U.S. When considering the future of the U.S. healthcare system and the federal and state policies that govern it, the challenge of achieving and maintaining fair, accessible, and affordable health insurance seems unavoidable.
- According to Fronstin, McGinn-Shapiro, & Shields (2008, p. 137), one of the top priorities for healthcare reform and improving the overall health of Americans is to eliminate any disparities or gaps in healthcare. Thus, attaining an ideal healthcare system that is void of discrepancies in healthcare insurance calls for the rallying of both private and public programs to guarantee the 47 million citizens without health insurance will have the option to receive affordable health insurance and adequate healthcare services, regardless of their ability to pay for these services.
- To decrease the margins found within common healthcare discrepancies, such as “access to care, quality of care received, and health outcomes among minorities, publicly insured, uninsured, and low-income children and adults” (Fronstin et al., 2008, p. 146), healthcare providers and policy makers must pay significant attention to managing and enforcing newly reformed federal, state, and local healthcare laws. In addition, Fronstin et al. (pp 146-147) argue that “success in reducing disparities will require both providing health insurance coverage to all Americans and sufficient comprehensiveness of benefits within both private and public health insurance to meet enrollees’ healthcare needs.”
- Furthermore, although both ethnic and racial inequalities are well documented within Medicaid programs and within some private health plans, the lack of obtainable data has limited the way in which the discrepancies in care between those who are uninsured and between those who are insured under private health plans are tracked and documented. As national policy continues to rely on state governments to make decisions regarding insurance coverage while having little to no control “on the scope of benefits, eligibility requirements, and cost-sharing burdens within Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program,” (Fronstin et al., p. 147) the adoption of a well-monitored, efficient documentation system will be necessary to track the successes and failures of this reform.
- Strides to eliminate health disparities in the U.S. will provide many career opportunities for both current and future healthcare managers, including positions that focus on implementing innovative programs that raise public awareness about health insurance and the importance of obtaining coverage. As more people are covered under health insurance by law, the number of people receiving routine care will increase – ultimately leading to the creation of more jobs to service these people (Torpey, 2014, p. 30).
- An example of such a position is an Insurance Claim Specialist (Education Portal, n.d., “Insurance Claims Specialist Job Description”), who is charged with the responsibility to review insurance claims to determine an individual’s eligibility of coverage and whether or not that individual is covered under a particular policy. Although future opportunities for managers in this position are expected to grow at a seemingly slower rate than other managerial positions in healthcare, the importance of such a position cannot be understated – especially as employers turn to their superiors during healthcare reform for guidance, direction, and support.
- There is no doubt that the healthcare industry is booming and that those both remaining in and entering into the field will be presented with a multitude of career opportunities in the upcoming years. Between 2012 and 2022, the Bureau of Labor Statistics project estimates a creation of 4.1 million jobs, with an increase of 26% in healthcare employment (Torpey, 2014, p. 30). A large concentration of these positions will be found within the industries of hospitals, offices of health practitioners, nursing and residential care facilities, home healthcare services, outpatient, laboratory, and other ambulatory services (Torpey).
- As we discussed throughout this presentation, the creation of these new positions are largely a result of emerging macro-trends within areas of U.S. healthcare system, such as those related to increasing national health expenditures, morphing demographics from aging baby boomers, increasing rates of obesity, emerging e-health technologies, and evolving federal and state government policies. As the U.S. healthcare industry continues to expand a variety of healthcare managerial positions, like the Administrator III, Assisted Living Manager, Supervisory Program Specialist, Biomedical Clinical Engineer, and Insurance Claim Specialist, will offer a multitude of career opportunities for both current and rising healthcare professionals.