Port Stephens Examiner

What career options are available in healthcare?

What career options are available in healthcare?
What career options are available in healthcare?

Healthcare as we know it is changing and evolving, with the recent COVID-19 outbreak accelerating this evolution.

This means the scope for employment across the sector greatly extends beyond just doctors and nurses.

Rising costs (private healthcare insurance companies are experiencing lower profits and increases in claims), an aging population, and gaps in workforce and infrastructure lead to increased complexity for providers.

There has also been a global shift toward wellness and prevention rather than just treatment, while technological advances are also changing the way healthcare services are administered.

The old fashioned house call is back in vogue, with more health services providing home visits - another factor heightened by COVID.

That means there are many new opportunities available in the healthcare sector, so you don't have to be a doctor or a nurse to join the industry and make a difference. Here are some of the leading employment opportunities available in the modern healthcare environment.

Strong management is critical in modern healthcare

Strong management and leadership are critical for the changing shape of the healthcare industry.

The Master of Health Services Management is a two-year, full-time course designed to provide you with the skills and knowledge necessary for leadership in health services management.

You'll learn about critical issues such as health policy development, service delivery models, workforce planning and human resource management.

You'll also explore how organisations can manage risk through financial analysis, quality assurance and governance frameworks.

And you'll study how to develop strategies that are responsive to changing environments by understanding the social determinants of health.

IT is the future of healthcare

Health care organisations are transitioning to health IT systems powered by cloud and data and analytics tools to enable real-time, smart digital health.

These new technologies will help providers deliver better patient care while reducing costs and improving quality.

Health IT systems have become an essential tool for hospitals and other healthcare providers looking for ways to:

  • Improve efficiency
  • Reduce costs
  • Increase revenue streams
  • Provide a better quality of care for patients with chronic diseases or complex needs
  • Manage population health
  • Support clinical research initiatives
  • More effectively integrate new technology into their operations

Allied health professionals

Specialists are in more demand than ever. There are already around 200,000 registered practitioners in Australia, and demand is expected to rise steeply, especially in regional and rural areas.

The most in-demand fields right now are occupational therapists, osteopaths and physiotherapists, while the public requirements for access to optometrists, psychologists, chiropractors and pharmacists are also on the rise.

There are many streams of specialisation in the allied health professionals ranks and plenty of scope for employment in the future.

Mental Health Professionals

According to the Australian Government's Institute of Health and Welfare, nearly one in two (46 per cent) Australians aged 16-85 have experienced a mental disorder in their lifetime.

This translates to enormous demand for workers in this sector, including therapists and psychiatrists.

It also means there is a greater call for qualified and accredited mental health support workers and social workers to assist people in their homes and the community.

The need for qualified nurses grows stronger by the day

Government projections predict that there will be a shortfall of around 85,000 nurses by 2025. For those looking to enter the healthcare industry, there are various streams of nursing they can enter as well.

Hospitals and clinical settings are crying out for assistants in nursing, clinical nurses, enrolled nurses, mental health nurses, midwives, educators and researchers, managers, practitioners, registered nurses and more.

There is a broad scope of what you do in nursing and enormous opportunities across the country - even around the world.