2.
Advisory panel participation
3. Performing mock interviews on students during capstone classes 4. Being an active participant in the school’s externship program
Partnering with an educational institution provides both students and employers with an opportunity to get to know each other and offers an edge to employer partners. Not only can employers increase their candidate pool, but they have an opportunity to interact with some of the program’s best candidates. When experience is essential, working with medical staffing organizations and posting openings on web advertising sites can be beneficial. Offering signing bonuses, competitive salaries and career laddering opportunities will increase the number and quality of applicants, and help in employee retention. Trends Affecting MA Job Growth The driver behind MA job growth – and the reason growth will continue–is an increased demand for access to care and industry trends which are changing the role of the MA. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chronic diseases are responsible for seven out of 10 deaths each year and treating people with chronic disease accounts for 86 percent of our nation’s healthcare spending.10 In efforts to reduce health care spending, emerging payment models such as Value-Based Purchasing (pay for performance) offer providers financial incentives for meeting particular health measures and reducing healthcare costs.11 Greater access to care and early intervention is a central theme in value based care models, which places greater burdens on the healthcare team to see larger numbers of patients and to interact more with patients between visits. Increased Demand for Access to Care Trends requiring greater access to medical care include:
1.
Innovations and new treatments
2. 3. 4.
An aging population
An increase in the numbers of patients with chronic diseases associated with obesity
The Affordable Care Act
Advances in treatments and technology are allowing patients to live longer and healthier lives. Survival rates for diseases like cancer and heart attacks have greatly improved. According to the American Cancer Society, cancer deaths fell 23% from its peak in 1991 to 2012.4 From 2003 to 2013 the death rate for coronary heart disease fell about 38%.5 The number of Americans over the age of 65 will increase by 17 million by 2025. Individuals over the age of 65 use much more healthcare than average — approximately three times that of a working-age person.1 Obesity is a major and growing problem that will increase the need for access to healthcare. The healthcare costs of obesity are expected to rise by $550 billion over the next two decades. More than one-third (34.9 percent or 78.6 million) of U.S. adults are considered obese. By 2030, the problem is expected to be much worse: 42 percent of Americans will be obese, with 11 percent being severely obese (around 100 pounds overweight).6, 7 Obesity is a major contributor to chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. The Affordable Care Act has increased the need for access to healthcare and demand for services; 16.3 million Americans gained health insurance coverage from 2013 to 2015 .8,9 Though this act may be affected by the Trump administration, access to care will most likely be a priority issue in any replacement legislation. The Changing Role of the MA Almost all new trends in healthcare favor medical assistants as work shifts from higher-paid, higher- credentialed practitioners to lower-level, lower-cost practitioners, including the MA.1 Medical assistants have traditionally worked in support positions in ambulatory care environments, performing limited clinical and administrative tasks. However, theMA’s role is transitioning from a solo assistant to the provider to that of a highly valued, integral clinical team member. Patient Centered Medical Homes (PCMHs) and Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) have adopted a team-based care (TBC) approach in response to new payment models. In these environments, teams made up of providers, nurse case managers, medical assistants and other allied health professionals work collaboratively to help patients meet health goals. Providers are often encouraged to work at the top of their license, freeing up providers to do tasks only they can do. In turn,a cascading “top-of-license” or “abilities” approach flows throughout the rest of the team – including medical assistants.
SUMMER 2021 EDITION 13
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