None of us remember the days when blood-letting was a common prescription for a host of problems, but we sure have read about it. We may laugh at such folly but at one point in time that was considered modern medicine. As you know medicine changes rapidly and for those in the medical field, embracing those changes and moving forward is a must.

A new approach to patient care is on the horizon, and for those just starting out they may get the first taste of it in med school, but those already in the trenches may be required to reconsider what we’ve been doing for 10, 20, even 30 years. Interprofessional Healthcare is a new approach which brings healthcare professionals from a variety of disciplines together. It is a significant change to the current method but is also one that could define the 21^st Century.

Whether we want to admit it or not, many of us in the healthcare field have established professional boundaries we do not want crossed. Our patient is our patient. But the reality is, your patient may need the expertise of someone who has more knowledge than you. And with Interprofessional Healthcare, those fences we have put up will need to come down for the good of the patient.

For those starting out, learning the Interprofessional Healthcare approach will be much easier because universities are beginning to work it into their curriculum. Once these young professionals start seeing patients, working hand-in-hand and side-by-side with other healthcare providers will be as easy and seamless as allowing a nurse to check pulses and blood pressure.

In a report issued in late 2010 called the Lancet Commission, 20 professional and academic leaders detailed 10 reforms that are necessary in order to overcome the current fragmentation and many other problems the healthcare world is facing. One of those reforms was promoting interprofessional education designed to enhance collaborative and non-hierarchical relationships in effective teams. Read this report here. You can also read the Framework for action on interprofessional education and collaborative practice on the World Health Organization’s website.

The bottom line is that it’s better for the patient when a team of healthcare professionals have mutual respect for one another, and effectively communicate, collaborate and coordinate patient care. It is widely known that a variety of health conditions come from a variety of causes, and a variety of body systems and structures can be affected. And healthcare professionals must work together to provide the best possible care for the patient.

As university programs work to incorporate this new approach, established professionals can keep their eyes open for seminars and workshops. And hospital and clinic administrators may consider holding training sessions that will encourage their staff members to work together in this way. Don’t get me wrong, there are many healthcare providers who do collaborate with their peers when treating patients, but a team approach is not necessarily the norm across the board.

Becoming versed in this new approach to healthcare will not only be a boon to your patients, but will be a great addition to your professional credentials!

First, all of us at Hospital Dream Jobs would like to wish you a happy, healthy New Year. We are grateful for the opportunity to provide the information and inspiration you need to follow your dreams as you pursue a career in healthcare. 2011 is sure to be memorable as a new legislative session gets under way in Washington and healthcare reforms begin to take shape. This week I decided to take a look at what is going on in the world of Physician Assistants.

In November, PA Karen Bass made national headlines when she was elected to Congress, the first PA to serve at this level. No stranger to the spotlight, Ms. Bass made history in 2008 when she was elected to be the Speaker for the California Assembly – the first African American woman in the country to serve in this legislative role. The American Association of Physician Assistants (AAPA) issued a press release after Bass’s election saying they looked “forward to the patient-centered health care perspective Bass is likely to bring to both the U.S. House of Representatives and the impending debates about health care reform implementation.”

Bass was a PA at the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center where she practiced in an integrated team-based model of health care delivery that allows physicians, PAs and other non-physician providers more time with patients. This approach is considered by some to be the wave of the future as our healthcare system struggles under the burden of ever-rising costs, decreasing numbers of physicians and burgeoning numbers of patients.

As licensed and certified health care professionals, PAs practice medicine with physician supervision and bring a wide array of knowledge and skills to patient care. They perform a variety of procedures from conducting physical exams to diagnosing illnesses to assisting in surgery and more. In a survey conducted by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) 94% of PA’s employers reported that PAs helped increase the number of patients seen and 91% said that PAs enabled them to allow patients more time to ask questions during their office visits. In this same survey, 99% of the employers raved about the high-quality, compassionate care provided by their PAs.

 In 2010 the Six Key Elements of a Modern Physician Assistant Practice Act (elements address licensure, prescriptive authority, scope of practice, supervision requirements, chart co-signature requirements and the number of PAs a physician may supervise) was introduced.  Many state PA chapters hope to emphasize these elements to their state policy makers as the states look at making these and other changes to the delivery of patient care in advance of implementing federal health care reform.

This is going to be a groundbreaking year, not just for PAs, but for everyone working in healthcare and we at Hospital Dream Jobs look forward to accompanying you on the journey as you forge ahead in your healthcare careers!

The job-related headlines have provided an ongoing emotional roller coaster the past few years swinging wildly from pessimistic news of doom and gloom to optimistic reports of economic recovery. This week I read about something positive and real that encouraged me – a system in healthcare technology that is creating new jobs and will continue to do so in the coming years. These are Health Information Exchanges (HIEs), also referred to as Health Information Technology (HIT) (and a bevy of other monikers with accompanying acronyms).

HIEs have been around, on a small scale, for at least a decade, allowing the exchange of medical records between formerly unconnected electronic systems. The systems will decrease administrative costs for providers while improving the quality of healthcare for patients.

While there are some networks in various States, there are currently no state or federal regulations governing the exchange of medical records. However, there are several organizations working towards a nationwide, regulated network.

This will create more jobs as the system matures. On the bureaucratic level, there will be people in state and federal government responsible for creating and monitoring these networks. There will be the techies creating the software (there’s already several companies out there, but as we know with technology, there’s always room for competition and room for improvement). There will be the sales force and the tech support staff installing, training and helping providers maintain the systems. And finally, there will be the end users themselves, possibly an entire job in itself once these systems become fully integrated into the healthcare system.

How can you jump on this burgeoning bandwagon? Should you hop on board? Whether you’re looking for work or already employed the answer is YES. This is a system that you should definitely keep your eye on as it continues to grow and change, whether you’re in management, tech support, patient services or even employed as a nurse or physician.

Here are a few of the ways that you could use your healthcare experience to assist the transition to HIE’s:

1. Serve on a regulatory committee providing your healthcare expertise.
2. Become a point person who provides test runs of one of the new systems that eventually gets installed in your hospital.
3. Combine your healthcare experience with your love of technology to write software or consult for an HIE.
4. Take classes in software development if this field interests you.

Follow the HIE news at the Nationwide Health Information Network Watch.

You will find resume writing tips galore on the Internet and in books. Some are great ideas. Others, not so great. When searching for resume samples you will find several dozen samples that are offered as the “best” style to use. But the information can be confusing and overwhelming.

What’s the best way to write a resume that is compete, honest and stands out from the crowd? I recommend that you first write an outline. It will be an invaluable tool as you organize, format and write your resume. Include the following in your notes:

1. Your goals- Write them all down and then compact it to an objective that clearly states a goal that your potential employer will see on your resume. Do not include desired salary and be careful about self-serving statements. (Consider what you can provide for the employer versus what you want from them).

2. Your Job History- Dig up your job history, including name/address of employer, dates worked, salary and specific duties. Also note any special accomplishments while in that job position.

3. Your Skills- Make a list of the skills that you have and don’t forget the basic ones. Remember that not everyone can type at the same WPM that you might be able to and believe it or not, not everyone knows how to use the Internet. Add any special skills that might be applicable only to the positions that you are applying for.

4. Your Education- List your education, including the name/location of the school, dates attended and concentration of study, including your high school. Include any classes, seminars and continuing education. Include degrees and certifications obtained.

5. Your Awards- If you have obtained awards in your professional or personal life, make a list of them including the year received and what they were for. Also include any publishing credits you might have.

6. Your Volunteer Activities- If you volunteer your time outside of your home to help others, include this on your outline. This shows that you are a caring individual with goals other than earning a living.

7. Your References- Prepare a list of people who might be willing to be a reference. Call them or send them an email to make sure that they are okay with it. Concentrate on those you know from a professional arena and ones you’ve known longer than a year or two, if possible.

In the next post, we will discuss how to organize and format your resume to be the best that it can be in this competitive job market.

“I think the needs of both the job seekers and employers are in getting lost in the current environment,” says Hospital Dream Jobs founder, Allison Rapaport. “My goal is to listen to their needs and have the website evolve to meet these needs.”

In 2008, Rapaport brought together her experience in web development, communications and job searching with her interest in healthcare to develop Hospital Dream Jobs.  Because she also had contacts in the healthcare and technology field, there was a natural fit with developing content for the site as well.

The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Hospitals/Employers are excited about the ability to search for qualified leads to fill positions and receive alerts from Hospital Dream Jobs with links to the resume of interested parties. They also enjoy the added coups of being featured via video clips on the site and on the Hospital Dream Jobs blog. The ability to set up a profile page with more about their facility is another popular option.

For job seekers, the site is a virtual goldmine as it not only lists jobs listed with Hospital Dream Jobs but also pulls in listings from other healthcare job sites. In addition, there are numerous job resources, including lists of top hospitals, educational podcasts, links to educational facilities/hospitals and a list of recruitment and staffing agencies. The site has 400 job categories and thousands of listings. The job seeker also enjoys the ability to upload their resume/cover letter, send and receive messages, save job searches, create job alerts and learn more detail about the particular hospitals that interest them.

The goals for Hospital Dream Jobs include:

1. Provide quality and a high quantity of healthcare job listings from all parts of the country.

2. Support job seekers as they progress in their career. Offer job listings, tools to track their job search, career advice and resources, and information to stay current.

3. Offer hospitals and recruiters great advertising for their organization and the ability to attract the best in personnel.

4. Maintain an environment that is personable and responsive for all users.

Join us today by signing up for a Job Seeker or Employer account!