Not every job in healthcare requires a professional to be directly involved in patient care. For every clinical healthcare worker, there is a non-clinical healthcare worker providing invaluable services to help an organization function better. Many who are eager to work in the healthcare field but not in the clinical sense, might be interested to learn about the following non-clinical jobs, which offer several benefits to anyone interested in making an impact on the health and wellness of patients.

Healthcare Administrator

A healthcare facility is first and foremost a business, the hospital or clinic requires careful balancing of accounts to ensure that patients have access to healthcare providers and providers have access to the equipment and supplies they need to provide adequate service.

Healthcare administrators typically have advanced degrees, which provide them with knowledge and experience to merge business and medicine successfully. For prospective administrators not ready to commit to a master’s or Ph.D. program in healthcare administration, there are online healthcare management courses that provide a fundamental look at how business principles apply to the healthcare industry.

Medical Equipment Preparer

Modern medicine relies on several exceedingly complex machines to deliver imaging for diagnoses and administer treatments. Although medical professionals might be equipped to use these medical equipment, they aren’t trained to assemble, test, repair, or maintain them.

That’s why healthcare facilities employ medical equipment preparers, they understand the mechanical complexities of the equipment and are well-trained to manage them. Medical equipment preparers are hired and trained by machine manufacturers or sellers. Oftentimes, they are required to have a certification in certain medical fields, but engineering experience is also beneficial.

Medical Social Worker

Many people enter the medical field with the hope of helping people, and social work certainly fulfills that goal. Medical social workers work directly with patients, guiding them through healthcare processes to ensure they are properly informed and in control of their care. Usually, social workers are assigned to difficult cases, like terminal patients or patients experiencing crises like domestic abuse or substance abuse. Medical social work is undeniably demanding, both physically and psychologically, but it can be rewarding to the right person.

Different states have different requirements for social workers, but most require at least a bachelor’s degree in social work. Professionals might consider pursuing a graduate degree if they are interested in clinical social work or social work administration within a healthcare facility.

Patient Advocate

A patient advocate has a slightly different role from a medical social worker but is equally as important to the health and welfare of patients. As social workers, advocates help patients navigate the healthcare industry, serving as a middle person between patients and providers. Advocates typically help patients schedule appointments, follow treatment plans and manage medical paperwork. Any patient can request the services of a patient advocate.

Employment requirements for patient advocates are flexible, with different institutions requesting different qualifications. Those with prior experience as a healthcare provider are likely better positioned to function as a patient advocate, but they can find additional training in advocacy to become better suited to the role.

Medical Records and Health Information Manager

Among the fastest-growing non-clinical healthcare jobs in the U.S., medical records and health information technicians (MR/HIT) help healthcare facilities organize, process, and maintain patient records. This is a complex task not only because patient health information must comply with certain laws and rules but also because, depending on the healthcare facility, MR/HITs might be working with hundreds of thousands of records.

The move toward electronic health records means that MR/HITs not only need to be organized and efficient but also need to be capable of adapting to changing technologies. Fortunately, it is relatively easy to get into this field, as entry-level positions require only an associate degree in health information technology.

Quality Improvement Manager

Patients are not always pleased with the services they receive at certain healthcare facilities, and even healthcare providers can become unhappy about certain processes or products at times. This is where a quality improvement manager comes in, it is their job to listen to those complaints and comments and implement positive changes to prevent similar situations from occurring again. Quality improvement managers are also tasked with assessing areas for improvement without patient or provider input, to ensure facilities are constantly adapting to meet new needs.

Quality improvement managers utilize all sorts of experience and education to make assessments and devise solutions. Though many healthcare improvement managers come from clinical roles, some come from roles in other industries with similar responsibilities. Those who lack familiarity with healthcare or who are transitioning from the clinical space might consider taking healthcare administration courses to prepare for this role.

These Are Six Non-Clinical Jobs to Consider

The healthcare industry requires all types of professionals to deliver health and wellness to patients . There are so many good non-clinical jobs waiting for expertise and enthusiasm from professionals wanting to be a successful doctor or nurse.

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