| One of the fastest growing sectors of the | | | | medical job categories at a whopping |
| medical industry is that of home health. | | | | 66.8%!One may think the vast majority of home |
| There are many reasons for this growth, but | | | | health related jobs are lower paying aide |
| most important are:The number of aging and | | | | jobs. Fortunately, this is not the case. As |
| infirm citizens in the country.The lower cost | | | | previously mentioned, private home health |
| of care in relation to hospitals and long | | | | companies will need to increase their |
| term care facilities.The fact health | | | | administrative and support positions like |
| providers consider home care to be the most | | | | medical coders, accounting and billing, |
| humane and compassionate form of care.Because | | | | medical secretaries, nurse managers, shift |
| of the rapid growth in this category of | | | | schedulers, information technology and |
| healthcare, a variety of employment | | | | marketing. Working for a home health company |
| opportunities have become available. Many | | | | doesn't necessarily dictate providing direct |
| hospitals are turning to home health as a | | | | patient care.Even among the patient care |
| method to recapture revenue that would be | | | | positions, there is a lot of variety. Though |
| otherwise lost. Despite the efforts of | | | | patient care is primarily provided by lower |
| hospitals to enter the home care market, | | | | paid home health aides; as demand increases, |
| private companies dominate home health. Since | | | | wages are expected to rise. There are also a |
| these are primarily businesses that have not | | | | lot of opportunities for CNAs, LPNs and |
| been in existence for long, they need to hire | | | | registered nurses (RNs). Some patients only |
| not only for in home providers, but also for | | | | require short term care - a few hours a day, |
| support and administrative positions.The | | | | or for a fixed period of time. Others require |
| future demand for home care will be | | | | long term care - 24/7 for the rest of their |
| staggering. In 1997, over 22.4 million | | | | lives.The bottom line is, there are a lot of |
| households provided home care to a loved one | | | | employment opportunities in the field of home |
| over 50. Over time, this drain on physical | | | | healthcare. The best paying jobs will be |
| and emotional resources will result in a | | | | those that require some post secondary |
| desire for outside help in the home. | | | | training. There is also a lot of variety of |
| Additionally, Medicare funding of short term | | | | work needed, not all employment will provide |
| home health care is projected to more than | | | | patient care. If you want a solid future, in |
| double by 2010. Meanwhile, workers employed | | | | one of the most stable industries in the |
| in the home health field actually dropped by | | | | country, studying to be part of the home |
| 29,000 in 2000. The projected employment | | | | healthcare market is a wise choice. |
| outlook for just home health aides leads all | | | | |