Page 26 - SKILLS Workforce Development Guide 2021

For Job Seekers: Healthcare Outlook
A BURGEONING FIELD
BEYOND SCRUBS AND
WHITE COATS
NBY STACEY PFEFFER
ow more than ever, COVID has put a spotlight on the need for affordable and accessible healthcare for all Westchester residents. And the good news for job seekers hoping to join the healthcare industry is that people are choosing to obtain healthcare closer to home.
Nationally, healthcare occupations are projected to add more jobs than any other occupational groups, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Regionally, the healthcare sector contributes more than
$18 billion in economic impact and employs well over 70,000 people, notes the Westchester County Association, a leading economic development and business advocacy organization in the region. With an increased demand for world-class healthcare locally, the current outlook for the industry in the county is certainly optimistic. Jobs can be found in various settings from hospitals, labs, rehabilitation and long-term care facilities to physicians’ offices and at-home care. If you are considering a healthcare job but aren’t sure if medical/nursing school is for you, read on, as there are a plethora of jobs available and some require only short certification courses or community college credits.
Administrative positions, for example, run the gamut. These jobs have titles such as medical receptionist, patient registration representative, billing representative, or surgery scheduler.
Westmed Medical Group, a multispecialty medical practice with 13 offices in Westchester County and nearby Fairfield County, believes these positions are essential to the daily operations of their organization and cannot be done remotely despite the increasing trend of telemedicine. “Most of our non-clinical positions do not require certain licensure or certification, or a college degree. For us, the candidates that will be most successful in these positions have other essential skills, such as demonstrated exceptional customer service and strong technological skills. These roles are often the first point of contact for patients during their visit and play a critical role in the overall patient experience,” explains Lindsey Garito, director of human capital management and total awards in HR operations at Westmed.
While the positions yield a wide range of candidates, the most likely ones to secure an interview have certain key words and skills on their resumes. “Candidates should
24 SKILLS What’s Hot. What’s Next. What’s Needed.
highlight the full extent of their work experience and skills and demonstrate how their skills meet the essential qualifications of the position,” says Garito. Average salaries for these types of positions tend to be in the lower $30,000 range, but experienced workers can expect to make above $40,000.
MORE THAN JUST DOCTORS AND NURSES
There is a perception that hospitals employ only doctors, nurses, and other clinicians, “but hospitals are major employers in our region. Hospitals have so many other jobs, like transportation, food services, and security,” notes Jason Chapin, director of workforce development at the Westchester County Association.
In an essential industry such as healthcare, personnel is always needed. Diane Woolley, the chief human resources officer at White Plains Hospital (WPH), notes that recruiting
for some positions is always challenging, but the pandemic actually resulted in a hiring surge at their hospital. Many hospitality and restaurant workers were laid off, and the hospital needed workers in food and environmental services that had transferrable skills. “Restaurant pay during the pandemic was variable, and our positions offer regular pay plus benefits, so we hired a lot of people per diem from that industry and converted them to long-term employees,” says Woolley.
Finding qualified security officers also remained a challenge during COVID, as some security workers preferred to work in a retail setting because of a perceived risk at the hospital. “You are actually more protected if you work in a hospital with PPE, and we follow the strictest CDC protocols,” Woolley says.
While other industries in the region reported job losses, Woolley notes that “there is no reduction in work at a hospital. We are filled to the brim every day.” Candidates who want to be fully and gainfully employed with a benefits package, time off, and the ability to make overtime, have ample opportunity at WPH, Woolley says, especially since the facility has expanded in recent years. Perhaps that is the reason the hospital has a 9% job-turnover rate, which is much lower than the industry standard of 14-17%.
Salaries for these auxiliary positions run the gamut. Averages for security officers are $38,000, housekeeping supervisors can expect $57,000, and food preparation