Healthcare is another profession that is on the hot list and just like with graphic arts and IT, there are many consulting opportunities available in healthcare.  According to the U.S. Department of Labor, due to an aging population and longer life expectancies, healthcare and social assistance—including private hospitals, nursing and residential care facilities, and individual and family services—will grow by 30.3 percent and add 4.3 million new jobs by 2014.*  AIU Online offers Associate, Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs in healthcare related fields that can open the door to many entrepreneurial opportunities in healthcare consulting.

Healthcare consulting can be a lucrative and satisfying career path to follow.  Healthcare consultants provide support to healthcare consumers, purchasers and providers in the form of analytical, evaluation and training services.  Some professional consultants also provide program design, research, and policy development, as well as health services monitoring and evaluation, planning and management.  The list of potential clients for this wide diversity of services can range from individual consumers to large healthcare or health insurance organizations.

A shortage of healthcare professionals in traditional areas such as nursing, pharmacy, diagnostic imaging or even physician practice can lead to recruiting and placement opportunities.  Healthcare consulting agents that are trained in healthcare administration can assist organizations in recruiting healthcare professionals, or assist healthcare professionals in finding the organization that is right for them.

Like with any business, it is not always practical or cost-effective for healthcare organizations to employ a full-time staff that is large enough to handle their work load year-round.  Many large healthcare and medical insurance organizations contract with medical billing and coding specialists to handle overflow on an as-needed basis, so there are also consulting opportunities in this area.  Earning an AABA degree with a concentration in Healthcare Administration, an AABA degree with a concentration in Medical Coding and Billing, a BBA degree with a concentration in Healthcare Management or an MBA degree with a concentration Healthcare Management through AIU Online can open the door to many opportunities for entrepreneurs that are interested health care consulting. 

Source:
* Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs035.htm (visited November 27, 2008).

If you are a current student or alumni of AIU Online and would like more information on how to transition from the Organizing Your Career Planning & Search workforce, please contact the Career Services Department at 877-701-3800 ext 15060 or careerservices@aiuonline.edu. If you would like more information on becoming a student with AIU Online, please contact the Admissions department at 877-701-3800.