Fast Growing Health Care Jobs

There’s plenty of demand for health care professionals right now — the industry has seen stronger job growth than the rest of the economy and that’s only expected to continue with the influx of millions of new patients and an aging population.

Sure, the physician shortage means that there is greater need for primary care physicians than ever before, plus the demand for physician assistants has been on the rise. However, there are plenty of other positions that need to be filled, and most of these jobs opening in health care are for highly skilled workers with multiple degrees.

According to Business Insider, the Meaningful Use Act—as part of President Obama’s health reform — is forcing the health industry to focus more on service and patient satisfaction. As a result, new emphasis has been put on certain positions.

Information technology positions are more important than ever as someone needs to analyze data to prove outcomes so the practice, hospital or health system can get fully reimbursed. But here are five other health care service positions that are growing significantly.

5. Medical director

There’s a need for MDs who have practiced for a while but are now willing to step into an administration — and leadership — role.

4. Chief clinical informatics director

In order for the organization to run smoothly, it needs MDs who can take the data from surveys of patients, physicians and staff and use it to deduce what changes are needed.

3. Chief nursing officer

In hospitals patients usually interact with the nurses more than anyone else. The nursing staff needs one person looking out specifically for them to make sure everything is running smoothly.

2. Chief patient rights and safety officer

Health and medical errors happen—and far more often than the hospital would like. So this person is responsible for preventing anything that could affect the patient experience (see below!).

1. Vice president of patient experience

More and more health care is realizing that it’s a consumer-based industry and that patients need to be viewed as a customer. A customer who has a bad experience might decide to go to a competing hospital or practice the next time. But first, the VP of patient experience has to decide what sort of experience they want to provide. Is service more important, or is luxury?

Read more:

The Hottest Jobs in the Health Care Industry — Business Insider