Sleep Technologist

A sleep technologist, also known as a polysomnographic technologist, is an allied health professional who works under the supervision of a licensed physician to provide testing and treatment for people suffering from sleep disorders. Sleep technologists work directly with patients to administer non-invasive tests using a variety of technologies including electrodes, body temperature monitoring, pulse oximetry, respiratory monitoring, and closed-circuit television cameras.

In the United States, sleep technologists work in clinical settings located in hospitals, on university campuses, and sleep labs located in the community.

General Sleep Technologist Duties

The specific duties assigned to a sleep technologist varies with each specific sleep clinic and may include:

  • Patient intake, including pre-testing interviews and identification verification
  • Review patient history and verify physician’s orders
  • Patient orientation and assessments
  • Check and record patient vital signs, including blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and respiration rates
  • Apply electrodes, leads, and sensors as required
  • Fit positive airway pressure devices on patients
  • Monitor and record test results in accordance with clinical standards
  • Calibrate and maintain instruments used for sleep testing
  • Score patient sleep testing results and complete medical reports
  • Respond quickly to any medical emergencies within the sleep lab

Essential Skills For Sleep Technologists

  • Strong verbal and written communication skills
  • Computer literacy
  • Critical thinking and problem-solving
  • Ability to apply practice standards
  • Strong interpersonal and patient care skills
  • An aptitude for working with patients of all ages, including those with physical, emotional or cognitive disabilities
  • Attention to detail
  • Current CPR and basic life-saving certification

Educational Requirements

In the United States, sleep technologists need to have a combination of both post-secondary education, state licensing, and certification from a nationally-recognized organization. In general, sleep technologists hold a minimum of an associate degree with a specialization in sleep technology, although many sleep technologists choose to pursue graduate studies.

Working Conditions

Sleep technologists work inside clinical settings, often working late in the evening or overnight. Sleep technologists must be able to perform the physical duties involved with the job which can require standing, lifting, bending, and stretching, as well as sitting for extended periods of time.

Sleep technologists have direct patient contact which can include skin-to-skin contact and exposure to infectious materials such as blood and saliva.

Phlebotomist

A Phlebotomist in the healthcare field enjoys a rewarding experience day in and day out. Phlebotomists handle everything related to the collection of blood in a clinical setting. Read on to learn more about the responsibilities and prerequisites associated with a career as a phlebotomist with Healthcare Support:

What Does a Phlebotomist Do?

A professional phlebotomist has a variety of different responsibilities to support the diagnostic and research pursuits of the clinic, including:

  • Organize appointments and patients for blood draws
  • Prepare blood containers with proper labels
  • Educate patients about the process of blood transfusion
  • Carry out blood draws through the process of venipuncture
  • Carry out blood tests by pricking the patient’s finger, or in the case of infants, their heel
  • Assist patients who may have negative reactions, whether mental or physical, to having a blood draw or transfusion
  • Carry out orders from physicians regarding which tests to prepare blood samples for
  • Identify, label, and track samples
  • Inventory, clean, and oversee proper disposal of blood draw supplies like sharps and sanitary equipment

Training and Experience

Training, education, and experience needed to become a professional phlebotomist vary based on the employer in question. For more post positions, no clinical experience is necessary.

The education requirements involve a non-degree diploma or certification from an accredited program. Further certification with several healthcare certification groups are also considered under requirements in some cases:

  • National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT)
  • National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
  • American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
  • American Medical Technologists (AMT)

Preferred experience includes one or more years of experience in training or independent experience with the duties expected of a professional phlebotomist.

Career Outlook

The average annual salary for a professional phlebotomist is around $32,000 a year, and the career market for the position is expected to grow in the foreseeable future.

Healthcare Support can offer a competitive pay and benefits package to applicants.

Patient Care Coordinator

Are you an experienced and dedicated Patient Care Coordinator seeking a professional home to practice your skills? Advance your career and job satisfaction by joining a rapidly growing company through this available position.

Duties and Responsibilities

Patient Care Coordinators are instrumental in helping patients receive great care with the attention and follow-up they need for optimal healthcare experiences. This requires a flexible attitude, quick thinking and a caring disposition. Duties may vary from day-to-day and week-to-week, but can involve the following tasks and responsibilities:

  • Manage patient care
  • Patient screening
  • Scheduling
  • Manage patient placement
  • Communicate with nurses and physicians
  • Meet with patients and family members to inform and educate
  • Handle inbound calls and answer patient questions
  • Connect with new patients via phone and email
  • Coordinate with insurance carriers
  • Process pharmacy orders and respond to inquiries and issues regarding said orders
  • Review medication inventory
  • Communicate with patients to determine and confirm their supply needs
  • Arrange and coordinate provision of special equipment or therapy for at-home care
  • Work with Human Resources
  • Maintain files
  • Patient case management tasks
  • Provide referrals for continuing care
  • Locate and provide community resources to patients and their family members
  • Assist the care team with goal setting
  • May need to offer assistance in locating funding options to patients for procedures/treatment
  • Help with data collection
  • Maintain patient confidentiality
  • Related duties as needed

Experience and Education Required

  • Associate’s Degree in healthcare administration or related area of study required, Bachelor’s Degree preferred
  • Strong communication skills
  • Compassionate nature
  • Above average critical thinking skills
  • One year or more working in a healthcare environment
  • Experience with basic computer programs, such as MS Office
  • Customer service experience in a medical setting, preferred
  • Candidates with knowledge of / familiarity with outpatient therapy services, specialty pharmacies and medical supply companies desired
  • Registered Nurses meet educational qualifications

Advantages of this Opportunity

  • Competitive salary based on experience and education
  • Team spirit and a positive work environment
  • Benefits offered

Interested in being Considered for this Patient Care Coordinator Position?

If you believe you may be a good fit for this position, please click APPLY below to complete an application for immediate consideration.

The Fastest Growing Jobs in Healthcare

Healthcare is a rapidly growing field — the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an average growth rate of nearly 20% in this industry by 2026. This growth is much faster than any other sector. Though not all healthcare occupations are experiencing the same growth velocity. Many factors impact the jobs that will be experiencing the most demand, such as our large aging population, technological advances, and industry trends.

Shift to Outpatient Care and Home Healthcare

Medical advancements and costs are impacting where people choose to receive their medical care. Inpatient care carries a much higher price tag than outpatient and home healthcare options. Now, with growing improvements in surgical procedures and diagnostic testing, patients have more flexibility in their recovery and treatment choices.

Many surgical procedures are far less invasive than they used to be. This progression increases the number of operations that can be performed in an outpatient setting. It also supports quicker recovery times, allowing patients to leave the hospital sooner than before.

Improved diagnostic tools and innovative testing solutions are minimizing the need for inpatient care to diagnose and treat many illnesses and conditions. And once these individuals have been diagnosed, medical breakthroughs and advancements support numerous at-home treatment regimens. These trends are helping to drive patients out of hospitals into outpatient facilities and back home with the assistance of home care aides.

In-Demand Healthcare Careers

In addition to the shift in where patients are receiving medical care, who they turn to for this care is also important in determining job growth in this sector. These are the 9 top in-demand professions in the healthcare field with a 20 percent or higher projected growth rate.

  • Physician’s Assistant (PA) — 39% growth rate
  • Medical Assistant (MA) — 34% growth rate
  • Pharmacy Technician — 32% growth rate
  • Dental Hygienist — 30% growth rate
  • Physical Therapist — 27% growth rate
  • Radiation Therapist — 25% growth rate
  • Surgical Technician — 24% growth rate
  • Registered Nurse (RN) — 22.2% growth rate
  • Pharmacist — 22% growth rate

If you’re a healthcare professional, looking for a great place to work, we can help. Learn how here: Our Hiring Process.

How to Become a Healthcare Administrator or Manager

The healthcare field enjoys the highest projected growth rate across all sectors. There are numerous medically-related jobs expected to experience an increase in demand of between 22 and 45 percent. With this boom, comes the need for business and administrative support. That means the demand for experienced and knowledgeable administrators and managers in the healthcare field is also growing rapidly.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals the projected need for more than 352,000 healthcare managers by 2026 — representing an estimated 20% growth rate. With an average median annual salary moving upwards of $96,540, these professions deserve serious consideration.

Educational Requirements of a Healthcare Administrator or Manager

These professionals are highly educated individuals, requiring a bachelor’s degree, at a minimum.

Degrees

A Bachelor’s Degree is required, but many employers prefer a Master’s Degree. Typical areas of study for a Bachelor’s include health services administration and management, business administration, nursing administration and public health administration.

To command a top position with a higher salary, a Master’s degree with focused studies in both business and medical science is recommended. Candidates should choose a primary program — such as Master of Business Administration — with a healthcare concentration. A Master of Science in Health Informatics is another good choice, suitable for those who enjoy technology.

Obtaining Employment

Once you’ve earned your Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in the applicable field, you can start looking for work. While experience will help those already in the field, the growing demand for these positions will encourage employers to hire candidates straight out of school. This doesn’t mean you won’t have competition. An effective way to get a leg up on other candidates is through use of the services of a top-notch recruitment firm. Choose one that focuses on the healthcare industry to ensure they have the knowledge and networking skills required for successful placement.

At Healthcare Support, we help medical care organizations and qualified healthcare professionals connect, and we offer a variety of flexible placement options. Whether you’re looking for an administrator or a manager for your facility or seeking an employer in this field, we can help. Learn more about our employment solutions here.

Pharmacy Coordinator

As a pharmacy coordinator, you are responsible for managing your staff and overseeing processes that ensure a positive patient outcome with minimal overhead and risk. Essentially, you are responsible for the day-to-day workings of your pharmacy. Pharmacy coordinators manage all of these things by working directly with staff, which includes both pharmacists and a pharmacy manager or pharmacy director.

Your job as a pharmacy coordinator includes providing pharmaceutical care, training and incorporating new personnel, taking care of scheduling, ensuring good customer service, helping to maintain compliance standards within the pharmacy, speak with physicians about patient medications, implement organizational procedures, keep staff pharmacists educated, and find areas where processes and programs can be improved. This may sound like a lot, but that’s what it takes to keep a pharmacy up and running.

Being a pharmacy coordinator requires certain skills. You must have strong communication skills to work with staff, as well as excellent analytical skills so you can analyze and improve upon organizational and operational procedures.

To work as a pharmacy coordinator in most cases, you will need to have a high school diploma or equivalent, a degree or certification as a pharmacy technician, and some amount of experience managing pharmacy operations. Depending on the pharmacy you’re applying at, you may be required to have some other type of pharmacy degree to become a pharmacy coordinator. This may include graduating from an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education school or a pharmacy college. You will also be required to have a license in the state in which you are working as a pharmacy coordinator, and a Doctor of Pharmacy (or PharmD) degree is usually preferred by most pharmacies.

7 Keys to Job Success in Healthcare

Healthcare professionals play a vital role in the overall health and well-being of the community by helping take care of patients in various settings such as hospitals, clinics, government agencies, and educational institutions. But, to continue to grow in the healthcare industry, staff members must master several different skills. So, what can you do to ensure your success? You can start by following these 7 tips.

Foster communication and interpersonal skills

Those who are sick or hurt will always seek empathy from someone who understands what they are going through. By maintaining interpersonal skills, you let patients know you have compassion and see them as individuals. As a healthcare professional, it’s also important to practice transparent communication with patients by taking your time to explain things in a way in which they can easily understand.

Remain organized

Healthcare professionals see a lot of patients on a daily basis and therefore must remain incredibly organized when managing schedules and paperwork. This not only helps to avoid a potential mess, but it also allows the organization to work more efficiently by being able to obtain the information they need quickly.

Always be discreet

To keep from violating the confidentiality of your patients, you must never mishandle sensitive information. Doing so is not only morally wrong, but it’s also against the law.

Learn how to manage stress

A lot of positions in healthcare require you to make important decisions that affect your patients. Combine that with working long hours and maintaining a heavy workload, and it’s easy to see that a person working in the healthcare field can become stressed easily. Therefore, you must try and balance your personal and work life, and do anything you can to manage the stress before it becomes too overwhelming.

Keep a flexible work schedule

Because there are no set times people get sick, your schedule will require you to work different hours including days, nights, weekends, holidays, and overtime. You also need to be prepared to work odd hours when an emergency situation comes up quickly.

Stay educated

Make sure to train yourself whenever possible whether it’s to master your specific position, or learn new ones within your field. Keep an eye on your industry and pay attention to the always changing trends and you’ll remain one step ahead.

Network often

Often, it’s not what you know but who you know. Networking allows you to build business relationships that could benefit you in the future. Join organizations, attend work functions, and don’t be afraid to talk to people both inside and outside of the workplace.

No matter what career path you are on in the healthcare industry, by implementing these traits into your daily work life, you are much more likely to excel.

Are you a healthcare professional looking for a job locally or even out of state, but aren’t sure of where to start? HealthCare Support invites you to join our talent network today to enhance your job search and application process. Our mission is to find you a job that’s the perfect match for you. Call us today at 407-478-0332 to learn more about how we can help get you hired.

Administrative Assistant

An administrative assistant is responsible for performing a variety of administrative and clerical tasks. Duties include supporting managers and employees by assisting them with daily office needs and maintaining the organization’s general administrative activities.

To be successful in this position, an administrative assistant will:

  • Answer and direct telephone calls
  • Organize and schedule appointments
  • Make travel and meeting arrangements
  • Prepare reports and maintain appropriate filing systems
  • Act as the initial point of contact for internal and external clients
  • Provide information by answering questions and requests
  • Work well in a team-oriented environment

Qualifications and Education

  • High school diploma required
  • Previous experience as an administrative assistant
  • Knowledge of office management systems and procedures
  • Familiarity with operating office equipment such as printers and fax machines
  • Skilled in using Microsoft Office, Excel, and PowerPoint
  • Attention to detail
  • Strong organizational skills with the ability to multi-task

As an administrative assistant, you will be working closely with people, so professionalism is a must when assisting clients and employees, whether on the telephone or in person.

Accounts Receivable Clerk

A non-clinical accounts receivable clerk is responsible for completing financial, administrative, and clerical services. Duties include ensuring daily operations are being performed accurately and efficiently, processing and monitoring incoming payments correctly, and verifying and posting receipts to secure revenue.

To be successful in this position, a non-clinical accounts receivable clerk will:

  • Process accounting receivables and incoming payments according to proper financial policies and procedures
  • Record cash, checks, and credit card statements to ensure customer payments are adequately posted
  • Prepare bills receivable, invoices, and bank deposits
  • Verify and enter transactions from lock box and local deposits to post revenue
  • Follow pending deductions procedures by resolving deductions that are invalid or unauthorized
  • Resolve collections by reviewing customer payment plans, payment history, lines of credit, and communicating with the collections department
  • Help protect the organization’s value by keeping information secure and confidential

Qualifications and Education

  • High school diploma required
  • BS degree in finance, accounting, or business administration preferred
  • At least 2+ years previous work experience as accounts receivable clerk
  • Ability to examine documents for accuracy and completeness
  • Strong attention to detail
  • Proficient in English
  • Solid data entry skills
  • Experience in operating spreadsheets and accounting software (JDE or other full-scale ER software