Many individuals in the healthcare management field are asking whether the current changes in healthcare will affect careers in Healthcare Management and Administration. New regulations and healthcare requirements are projected to cause major changes in the job market for careers in healthcare management. The biggest effect of healthcare reform will be a necessary increase in trained professionals in the healthcare field. With the addition of thirty two million newly insured Americans many more healthcare workers will be needed to keep the system functioning smoothly. These changes will affect every phase of employment but most strongly impacting hospitals, insurance companies, healthcare facilities, nursing homes and companies required to insure their employees.
Jobs in the medical and health service management fields are projected to increase by at least sixteen percent next year. This is much faster than average for all occupations and is due to regulatory changes as well as the aging population requiring those medical services.
Community Health Care Centers
The Affordable Care Act will support the creations of 245 new health centers throughout the United States, according to a White House issued directive called “the Obama Administration and Community Health Centers.” The opening of these centers will need Supervisors, Healthcare Service Managers and Healthcare Providers for these clinics. Increasing the number of health care centers will increase the need for those who support and supervise the new facilities from entry-level healthcare managers to top executive positions. This could account to thousands of new position.
Hospitals and Nursing Care Facilities
A Healthcare Manager Responsible for an entire facility or for a department of employees will also be impacted by the changes in health care. Compliance with the new regulations will require more people to help employees make the necessary changes required by the new rules. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is severely impacting hospitals and how they deliver heath care and how they care for their patients. HealthCare reform is forcing Healthcare facilities to improve their bottom line and become more effective in how they manage care.
It has been predicted that there will be an added 45,000 new hospital executive and healthcare management jobs by the end of 2018. Salaries for these positions will continue to rise because of the high demand. The rising age of the population will increase the numbers of nursing and long-term care facilities required to care for this aging group and the employees to staff and manage in these healthcare facilities.
Insurance Companies
The Healthcare Reform Act will also have a huge impact on insurance companies. With mandates that will affect thousands previously uninsured in this country the need for more employees in the Insurance Industry to manage in their systems will be overwhelming. There is speculation that when the requirements are met and everyone is mandated to have insurance, insurance companies will require many new trained personnel in Healthcare to understand new policy compliance and implementation. This is an opportunity for those trained in Healthcare to find new areas of employment opportunity.
Although changes in healthcare policies and regulations may negatively affect some areas of employment, healthcare management may be one of the areas that are positively impacted. Many new jobs are projected to come into existence for those who hold Healthcare Management degrees.