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Why Business Careers in Healthcare Are in Demand

Wednesday, February 24, 2016 | 12:00 AM

In healthcare, demographics can be everything. As with dominos in a line, the tipping of a demographic creates a reaction that affects everyone. This has major implications for prospective students considering an online Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Administration program.

Aging Baby Boomers

The falling domino right now in the U.S. is the aging of the Baby Boomers. In their youth, they were the largest group of children the country had ever seen. Today, as they age, they are creating many opportunities for professionals pursuing healthcare careers.

Healthcare costs increase exponentially after age 50, and people make about half of their overall lifetime healthcare expenditures during their senior years. This has two implications: first, the number of available healthcare careers is increasing to provide the healthcare services associated with these expenses; second, this accelerated economic activity will send a greater share of our gross domestic product into the healthcare sector. Taken together, these facts reveal that demand for healthcare managers is also increasing and will steadily do so for many years. As such, there are more career opportunities for professionals with MBAs than there actually are qualified people to fill them.

In addition to the demand for physicians, technicians and paraprofessionals are also experiencing a surge in job opportunities. This growth requires highly educated healthcare managers who can manage the hiring, supervising, training and promotion of these new workers. Further, the increased income from expanded medical services requires professional finance managers. As Baby Boomers utilize more healthcare services, much of the funding will come from the federal government. Private healthcare providers need professionals on staff who understand healthcare finances, operations and marketing, with an eye to profitability in a highly competitive environment. MBA programs can provide the expertise financial officers need to meet these challenges.

Government demand for professionals

As the role of government agencies in healthcare grows so does their need for experienced professionals. With more Baby Boomers enlisting in Medicare, and with the expanded coverage of the Affordable Care Act, increased demand for experts in healthcare management will come to both the public and private sectors. Further, the U.S. will likely see more public-private partnerships to mitigate the strain on the U.S. healthcare system.

Perhaps most importantly, the increased demand for healthcare services is the new norm; the Baby Boomers are no longer the most populous generation in the U.S. In fact, there are more Millennials than Boomers, so as the number of Baby Boomers eventually decreases, Millennials will take their places with even greater healthcare needs. This trend indicates that healthcare careers will be available to those with the right education for generations to come.


Learn about University of Texas Rio Grande Valley MBA with a concentration in Healthcare Administration online program.


Source:

Alemayehu, B., & Warner, K. (2004, June 1). The Lifetime Distribution of Health Care Costs. Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1361028/

Kurtz, A., & Yellin, T. (n.d.). Millennial generation is bigger, more diverse than boomers. Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://money.cnn.com/interactive/economy/diversity-millennials-boomers/

Medical and Health Services Managers. (2014, January 8). Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm


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