The healthcare industry is one of the most dynamic and rapidly evolving sectors in the global economy. New technologies, treatments and regulations are introduced every year, shaping how we deliver and consume healthcare services.
With so much information available, filtering through the noise and identifying the information you need can be challenging. For individuals and organizations looking to stay ahead of the curve in healthcare, the annual NHA Industry Outlook Report has become a time-saving and essential resource.
Like previous years, we have collected insights and data from employers of allied health professionals. We use this opportunity to understand what they seek in candidates, what these professionals' daily work looks like, and what traits and skills make them most successful in their roles so that we can better serve you.
To accomplish this, we work with a third-party research firm to survey U.S. healthcare employers concerning the professional outlook for the following seven professions:
Each year, we utilize those results to help our partners in secondary education, post-secondary education, allied healthcare professionals, healthcare employers, and retail employers achieve their goals.
Employment Projections
As you'll see when reading the report, Allied Health professionals' role in delivering high-quality, direct patient care, and the demand for these professions continues to rise. Overall employment in healthcare occupations is projected to grow 13 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations; this increase is expected to result in about 2 million new jobs over the next decade.
In addition to new jobs from growth, opportunities arise from the need to replace workers who leave their occupations permanently. About 1.9 million openings each year, on average, are projected to come from growth and replacement needs.
Certification Projections
The requirement for industry-recognized certification continues to increase, most significantly for Pharmacy Technicians, who are now required to have certification by 92% of employers. The other professions where certification is almost universally required include Billing and Coding Specialists, of which 91% of employers surveyed responded that certification is required and Phlebotomy Technicians, where 83% of employers responded that certification was required.
The trends and predictions for allied health professionals provide a helpful bird's eye view, but there's so much more to explore and understand. After downloading the full report, access spotlights on the individual professions listed above to examine how positions are evolving year over year. Use this information to understand the changes better and take proactive steps to adapt based on your unique personal or organizational needs.
Whether you are a student in a Health Sciences CTE program, a post-secondary instructor, a currently employed allied health professional, or an allied health employer, we hope you find the 2023 Industry Outlook informative and encouraging.
Source: 2023 Industry Outlook