According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the healthcare sector is projected to add the most new jobs over the next decade. If you’re looking for a career path that will lead to plenty of job prospects, then this is the sector for you.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, people looking to get healthcare degrees were derailed.
However, there are many excellent online healthcare degrees that you can get from the comfort of your own home.
Are you interested in learning more? If so, then keep on reading and we’ll take you through everything you’ll want to know!
- Health Information Management (HIM)
Health information management involves working with a lot of digital technology and data. This is to help healthcare organizations digitize, code, make, and monitor electronic patient records.
People in this field will need to have strong technical skills. You’ll also need keen attention to detail, leadership skills, communication skills, and an analytical mindset.
You can earn your associate of applied science in just under two years. You can also toward your bachelor of science. This can be completed in as little as 36 months and is the best opportunity for career advancement.
It’s important that you get your degree at a high-quality online school.
When you have a degree in health information management, you can be an HIM director, patient information coordinator, HIM consultant, medical and health services manager, medical records technician, and more.
- Healthcare Administration
If you would rather have a day-to-day operations role, then you may want to consider a degree in healthcare administration. This area involves handling budgeting, patient relations, scheduling, and staffing. While healthcare administration and healthcare management share some similarities, the management side focuses more on business and leadership.
People who are in this field are involved in the direction and planning of health services. They work closely with medical staff.
Aside from problem-solving and critical thinking skills, you should also be able to communicate well. You need to be comfortable working with computers and be great at multi-tasking.
An associate’s degree will be able to help you get an entry-level administrative job. However, many positions in this field require a bachelor’s degree. That can take as little as 36 months to get.
Job titles in this area of the industry can include:
- clinical manage
- healthcare department manager
- healthcare administrator
- operations assistant
- patient service representative
- administrative support specialist
- administrative coordinator
- medical secretary
You also might need a master’s degree, which can take twenty months to get.
- Medical Assisting
The responsibilities of a medical assistant vary. However, they tend to include gathering basic patient information, taking blood pressure and other vitals, setting up exam rooms, voicing patient concerns to physicians, and scheduling appointments.
You can earn a diploma or degree in medical assisting between ten and twenty months. It might take you between fifteen and twenty months to get an associate’s degree in medical assisting services.
A lot of students will also go on to become certified as a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant or Registered Medical Assistant. This can open up more job opportunities.
When you have a degree in medical assisting, you can get a job in physician offices, hospitals, chiropractor’s offices, outpatient care centers, and more. Medical assisting tends to be a starting point that can lead to other similar career paths which can include nursing and healthcare management.
In this profession, it’s important that you have strong attention to detail. You’ll also need to be able to multi-task and stay organized. It’s also important that you have compassion for others because you need to help patients feel calm and comfortable.
- Medical Billing
A person who works in medical billing is responsible for following and processing insurance claims and sending informing to clients, insurance companies, and doctors.
Attention to detail is very important in medical billing. You also need skills in technical competence, problem-solving, and communication.
A coding diploma and insurance billing diploma is the fastest way to enter this job market. It can take you as little as one year. You can also work toward an associate degree, which can take as short as twenty months.
Possible job titles in medical billing include insurance specialist, medical insurance representative, and medical billing specialist.
- Medical Coding
Medical coding is also known as health information technicians. People in this field are in charge of digitizing and coding patient records. They work in assisted living facilities, insurance offices, hospitals, and more.
As a medical coder, you need to have great communication skills and be detail-oriented. You need to be comfortable working with computer software programs and be a quick learner.
Job titles in medical coding could include medical records coordinator, medical records clerk, and medical coding specialists.
The Importance of Knowing About the Many Online Healthcare Degrees You Should Consider Pursuing
Hopefully, after reading the above article, you now have a better idea of the many online healthcare degrees that are at your disposal. As we can see, there are a lot of options out there that cover all facets of the healthcare sector.
It’s important that you recognize what your skill sets are and what areas of healthcare you’re most interested in. From there, you can find the right online healthcare degree for you.
Are you looking for other helpful career articles? If you are, then you should make sure that you check out the rest of our site today for even more!