The Healthcare Industry: An Overview 1Washington Region Healthcare Industry 1Working Conditions in Healthcare 2Training and Education Requirements 3Top Ten Occupational Projections 4What Do Healthcare Occupations Pay? 5Healthy Forecast 6

TablesThe 10 Fastest-Growing Jobs in Healthcare 1Training Required for Healthcare Careers 3Wages in Healthcare 5Job Forecasts for the District, Virginia, and Southern Maryland 7

Table of Contents

According to a study conducted by the Greater Washington Board of Trade titled,Who Cares? Examining Greater Washington’s Health Care Workforce, there aremore openings in the region’s top healthcare professions than there are trainedand educated students to fill them.

Healthcare Jobs Growing Rapidly–The Bureau of LaborStatistics reports that there will be a 13% increase in health-care jobs between 2000-2010. Two important factors con-tribute to this growth. The first is the aging baby boomer pop-ulation; and the second is the increased use of innovativemedical technology.

Additional sources of new jobs will be in the rehabilitationfield, health and fitness, wellness, imaging technologies, homehealthcare, nutrition, new diagnostic services, and prevention.

Changing Demographics, Increased Need for MedicalCare–According to the Administration on Aging, in 2000there were 34.7 million people ages 65 and over. It is pro-jected that in 2010, that number will increase to 39.4 millionand to 53.2 million in 2020. With baby boomers living longer,the need for medical care is expected to increase.

The Healthcare Industry : An Overview

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Manpower Shortages in Healthcare Jobs–The Bureau ofLabor Statistics predicts that, while employment in privatehospitals is expected to grow slowly, employment in officesof health practitioners and in nursing and personal carefacilities will grow faster than in most other industries.Healthcare manpower shortages are now commonplace andmany healthcare providers take months to locate qualifiedpersonnel. An American Hospital Association (AHA) surveyfound that 70% of the surveyed hospitals reported a lack ofqualified candidates. Furthermore, employment growth isnot limited to the traditional full-time job. The AHA reportsa 3% increase in part-time hospital positions.

Washington Region Healthcare Industry

Jobs Available... Qualified Workers Needed

According to a study conducted by the Greater WashingtonBoard of Trade titled, “Who Cares?” Examining GreaterWashington’s Heath Care Workforce, there are more openings in the region’s top healthcare professions thanthere are trained and educated students to fill them.Healthcare occupations such as registered nurses, nursingaides, medical and dental assistants, dental hygienists,medical records and health information technicians, andmedical and clinical laboratory technologists are growing inthe region. Indeed, these are careers worth investigating.

Is Healthcare the Right Industry for You?

Healthcare workers administer “around-the-clock” care andservices to millions of people – from newborns to the criti-cally ill. This industry looks for individuals with a strongdesire to help others and the ability to relate to people ofdiverse backgrounds in stressful situations. If you possessthese basic skills, then perhaps the healthcare industry isright for you.

Research additional labor market information at www.dcnetworks.org

Working Conditions in Healthcare

In the District, the healthcare industry is comprised of three sectors:•Ambulatory Healthcare•Hospitals and Nursing•Residential Care Facilities

Different types of healthcare facilities offer variedworking conditions, including extended hours:

• Around the Clock–Hospitals and nursing homes operate around the clock. Staff is needed at all hours of the day. Shift and weekend hours are expected in these facilities, so is the need for full-time employment.

• Regular 8.5-Hour Business Days–Doctors’ offices, including those of dentists and other healthcare profes-sionals, require staffing, full-time as well as part-time, during regular business hours with occasional evening hours.

• Part-time Flexible Hours–Direct patient care, or home healthcare, will generally require part-time and flexible work schedules. Persons working in this capacity will presumably have more than one client. Consequently, traveling is expected.

www.dcnetworks.org2

Career advancements in healthcare often require a degree.

Students preparing for careers in healthcare can enter aca-demic and training programs leading to industry certificationor an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree. Manyhealthcare professionals such as registered nurses, socialworkers, and physical therapists have, at a minimum, aBachelor of Science degree. These jobs carry a higher level ofresponsibility and duties.

Employment is available for graduates of one or two-yeartraining programs.

Graduates of industry-approved and recognized one ortwo-year training programs may operate technical equipmentand assist practitioners with patients’ diagnosis and treatments.Some of these occupations include:• Medical Records Technicians• Health Information Technicians• Dental Hygienists

Training and Education Requirements

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Many jobs do not require specialized education or training.

The healthcare industry also provides many job opportunities forpeople without specialized training and degrees. Among these are:• Nursing Aides• Home Health Aides• Dental and Medical Assistants• Personal and Home Care AidesThese jobs, however, are primarily geared toward helping the eld-erly, disabled, and infirm who are living at home instead of in aninstitution. Many of these workers are self-employed.

Training opportunities are available.

Hospitals are more likely than other employers to provide trainingprograms and advancement opportunities to their employees.Some employers provide their workers with on-the-job or classroom training or will pay for courses in healthcare at an academic institution.

Read about job profiles and the training required to help you decide which occupations are best suited for you.Get more details at www.dcnetworks.org

Top Ten Occupational Projections (2000-2010) Washington Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area Healthcare Occupations

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Note: Wage Statistics taken from November 2004 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates visit: www.bls.gov

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Registered Nurses(RNs) treat and edu-cate patients and thepublic about variousmedical conditions,and provide adviceand emotional support to patients’family members. RNsrecord patients’ med-ical histories andsymptoms, help toperform diagnostictests and analyzeresults, and operatemedical machinery. Training required:Associate Degree,LPN-BSN, and MSN.Wage: $22.00/hour

Nursing Aides,Orderlies, andAttendants care for the physically ormentally ill, and theinjured, disabled, or infirm individual confined to hospitals,nursing care facilities, and mentalhealth insitutions. Training required:In many cases, a highschool diploma orequivalent is necessaryfor a job as a nursingor psychiatric aide.Hospitals may requireprevious experience asa nursing aide orhome health aide. Wage:$9.00/hour

Licensed Practicaland LicensedVocational Nursescare for the sick,injured, convalescent,and disabled under

the direction ofphysicans and regis-tered nurses. Training required:All states and theDistrict of Columbiarequire LPNs to passthe licensing exami-nation, NCLEX-PN,after completing astate-approved nursing program. Wage: $16.00/hour

Medical Assistantsperform administra-tive and clinicaltasks to keep theoffices of physicians,podiatrists, chiro-practors, and otherhealth practitionersrunning smoothly. Training required:Most employers pre-fer graduates of formal programs inmedical assistance.Such programs areoffered at vocation-al-technical highschools, postsec-ondary vocationalschools, and community and junior colleges.Wage:$12.00/hour

Dental Assistantsperform a variety ofpatient care, office,and laboratoryduties. They workchair side as dentistsexamine and treatpatients. They makepatients as comfort-able as possible inthe dental chair,prepare them fortreatment, and obtain

their dental records. Training required:Most assistants learntheir skills on the job,although an increas-ing number aretrained in dental-assistance programsoffered by communityand junior colleges,trade schools, techni-cal institutes, or theArmed Forces. Wage: $14.00/hour

Home Health Aidesprovide health-relatedservices to the elderly,convalescent, or dis-abled persons living intheir own homesinstead of in a health-care facility. Under the direction of nurs-ing or medical staff,they provide health-related services, suchas administering oral medications.Training required:Usually, the onlyrequirement foremployment is on-the-job training, whichgenerally is providedby employers. Somesituations may requireformal training whichis available from com-munity colleges, vocational schools,elder care programs,and home health- care agencies. Wage: $9.00/hour

Pharmacy Technicianshelp licensed pharma-cists provide medica-tions and other health-care products to

patients. Techniciansusually perform rou-tine tasks such ascounting tablets andlabeling bottles to help prepare pre-scribed medication for patients. Training required:Although most pharmacy techniciansreceive informal on-the-job training,employers favor thosewho have completedformal training and are certified. Wage: $22.00/hour

Dental Hygienistsremove soft and harddeposits from teeth,teach patients how topractice good oralhygiene, and provideother preventive dentalcare. Hygienists exam-ine patients’ teeth andgums and record dis-eases or abnormalities.Training required:Dental hygienists mustbe licensed by the statein which they practice.To qualify for licen-sure, a candidate mustgraduate from anaccredited dentalhygiene school andpass both a written andclinical examination. Wage: $28.00/hour

Medical Recordsand HealthInformationTechnicians organizeand evaluate medicalrecords for complete-ness. Technicians

assemble patients’health information,make sure that thepatients’ initial med-ical charts and formsare completed, prop-erly identified andsigned, and inputed inthe computer.Training required:Medical records andhealth informationtechnicians enteringthe field usually havean Associate Degreefrom a community orjunior college. Wage: $12.00/hour

Medical and ClinicalLaboratoryTechnologists exam-ine and analyze bodyfluids and cells. Theylook for bacteria, parasites, and othermicroorganisms; ana-lyze the chemical content of fluids;match blood for trans-fusions; and test fordrug levels in theblood to show how apatient is respondingto treatment. Training required:The preferred require-ment for an entry-levelclinical laboratorytechnologist is aBachelor’s Degree witha major in medicaltechnology or in oneof the life sciences. Acombination of educa-tion, on-the-job, andspecialized trainingmay also qualify youfor this position. Wage: $18.00/hour

As in most industries, earnings in healthcare will vary based on the duties as well as the level of education and training required.Average earnings in healthcare, for example, will be higher in hospitals due to the number of positions requiring higher levels ofeducation and training. Earnings can also be affected by the size and location of the facility. For example, salaries are typicallyhigher in large hospitals and group practices than in small clinics.

What Do Healthcare Occupations Pay?

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For a complete breakdown of wages and salaries by occupation, visit www.dcnetworks.org

The Heathcare Industry is Growing

The maturing baby boomer population has caused an increase in older age groups with greater than average healthcareneeds. For this reason, jobs in healthcare are growing in the District and the surrounding area. Between 2002-2012, signifi-cant growth is predicted for medical assistants, home health aides and nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants in the medicalsupport services.

Hospitals will be Impacted

Although job opportunities in hospitals are plentiful now, that may not be the case in the future as the demand for healthcareservices is moving away from hospitals to homes and rehabilitative nursing facilities. Still, the largest number of positionsavailable in healthcare will be in hospitals due to their large number of employees.

Did You Know?• Healthcare jobs requiring all levels of education and training will increase

and continue to be in demand.

• Specialized training is required in many healthcare positions and willbe an asset for many administrative positions.

• In-home healthcare growth will occur in the residential care and nursing fields.

• Registered nurses and medical records and health information technicianswill experience strong growth within the healthcare practitioner andtechnology sector.

Healthy Forecast

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Job Forecasts for the District, Virginia and Southern Maryland

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Daryl G. Hardy, Assistant DirectorSusan Gilbert, Program Manager/Business ServicesWorkforce Development Bureau609 H Street, N.E.Washington, D.C. 20002

Note: The statistics in this publication may change withreceipt of additional information.

Notice of Non-Discrimination

In accordance with the D.C. Human Rights Act of 1977, as amended, D.C. Official Code Section 2-1401.01 et seq., (Act) the District of Columbia does not discriminate on thebasis of actual or perceived: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, familial status, family responsibilities,matriculation, political affiliation, disability, source of income, or place of residence or business. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination which is prohibited by theAct. In addition, harassment based on any of the above protected categories is prohibited by the Act. Discrimination in violation of the Act will not be tolerated. Violators willbe subject to disciplinary action.

The Department of Employment Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Provider. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to persons with disabilities.

Government of the District of ColumbiaAnthony A. Williams, Mayor

Department of Employment ServicesGregory Irish, Director