5 Healthcare Career Opportunities without Direct Patient Care

Healthcare Career Opportunities

Some people want to contribute to the healthcare industry, but the thought of providing face-to-face patient care steers them away. Luckily, the industry is so enormous that plenty of opportunities don’t involve direct patient care. Throughout this article, we will discuss just five of these unique career opportunities.

Medical Laboratory Scientist

A medical laboratory scientist (MLS) works hard to test blood, tissue, and other bodily fluids to monitor health and make accurate diagnoses. They work in different settings including clinics, research laboratories, and hospitals. Becoming an MLS means you don’t need to work directly with patients, but you’ll be providing an essential service.

To become an MLS, you must complete a bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science or a medical laboratory technical degree. Both options grant access to the medical laboratory profession but at different levels, so learn about the difference between MLS and MLT before choosing which path to follow. As well as this, you will need to become licensed by a relevant accrediting body, which may vary from state to state.

Medical Coder

As a medical coder, you would be responsible for reviewing medical records and assigning codes to procedures and diagnoses. This information is then used by insurance companies to correctly reimburse hospitals and doctors. To become a medical coder, you’ll need to have a strong understanding of coding guidelines and medical terminology.

While you won’t be working directly with patients, the work you will do as a medical coder helps to ensure they receive the best level of care. The typical working environment includes hospitals, clinics, and medical billing companies.

Health Information Manager

Health information managers (HIMs) are charged with protecting and managing patient health information. They create and implement procedures and policies to strengthen the security and confidentiality of patient data, which is essential in 2023. As well as not working directly with patients, there are many other benefits of becoming a health information manager, including:

  • Making a difference. HIMs play an important role within the industry by helping patients feel safer.
  • Great pay and benefits. The median salary for HIMs is around $91,440, and other benefits include various insurance policies.
  • Variety. The role has depth, meaning you can find a position to suit your interests.
  • Job security. As the health industry grows and technology evolves, the demand for HIMs will rise.

Healthcare Consultant

When healthcare organizations need help with operational efficiency, strategic planning, and quality improvement, they rely on healthcare consultants to steer them in the right direction. Naturally, a healthcare consultant must have a firm understanding of business management principles and the healthcare industry as a while.

Public Health Administrator

As a public health administrator, you’ll be developing and implementing interventions and public health programs including health education, immunizations, and disease prevention. Despite not working directly with patients, the work you contribute will be of the greatest importance to enormous sections of the population.

Working in the healthcare industry and having a positive impact on patients doesn’t have to involve front-line work. The careers outlined above provide greater flexibility and fantastic benefits, but the list is by no means extensive.

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