With the advancements in digital technology, telecommuting and work-from-home have become more popular, even in the health care industry. The future of health care shows a growing trend in technology and a need for more workers in every area. The latest statistics indicate an increased number of job opportunities for many health professions. If you are looking for a fulfilling career in health care while working from home, here are a few suggestions to get you started.
1. Telephone Triage Nurse
For those who want to provide a personal health care experience to patients, a telephone triage nurse can work at home while taking care of patients. This occupation is also called telehealth or telemedicine nursing, but the concept is the same. This nursing job entails triage of patients over the phone or internet, and giving them advice for treatment. Nurses can direct patients to the right care providers and any home treatment options.
2. Medical Transcriptionist
Medical transcription is one of the most recognized forms of health care work from home. This occupation may seem too good to be true, but there is a real need for health care workers whose job involves listening to recordings of medical reports and converting them text. For those who do not want to deal with daily patient interaction but enjoy the medical profession, a career in medical transcription can be very rewarding.
3. Medical Coder
If listening to voice recordings or patients all day sounds like a headache, perhaps medical coding would be a more suitable career choice. Medical coders are responsible for reading medical records and applying the correct billing code to them for insurance companies. Medical coding requires attention to detail because the proper diagnosis code must be applied for accurate insurance billing.
4. Case Manager
Nurses are the life of the medical profession, and developing close relationships with patients is a rewarding aspect of this career. Case managers work closely with health care providers to develop long term health plans for patients and oversee their care. Case managers are involved in documenting the progress of patients as they undergo treatments for various diseases and disorders and helping providers find the best care for those patients. A work-from-home case manager may still need to make occasional house calls for following up on patient progress.
5. Medical Writer
Combine a love for reading and writing with the medical field and you will get the medical writer profession. This career focuses on translating the latest medical research and clinical data into regulatory documents and presentations for hospitals and providers. Depending on the type of medical writing job, certain knowledge and experience is required. Some medical writers must be able to interpret pharmaceutical reports while others need to understand government regulatory laws. Overall, written communication is the key to success in this field.
Before committing to a career working at home, it is important to have a dedicated office space and specific work hours, if that is not already part of a employer contract. It is also important to have the proper credentials and training for your career to be a success. For those people who are able to motivate themselves and set their own deadlines, a work-from-home job in the health care industry can be a successful career choice.
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