The first full week in November marked National Allied Health Professions Week. This year, we celebrated the Week from November 5th through 11th.
Who do we recognize during the Week? According to the International Chief Health Professions Officers (ICHPO), “Allied Health Professions are a distinct group of health professionals who apply their expertise to prevent disease transmission, diagnose, treat and rehabilitate people of all ages and specialties.”
Allied Health Professions encompass a wide range of health professionals who contribute to the treatment of patients. The designation can include dental assistants and hygienists, EMTs and paramedics, pharmacy technicians and assistants, medical technologists, imaging specialists, medical assistants, respiratory therapists, health information technologists, and more. Pretty much all non-nurse and non-physician healthcare workers.
The scope of allied health practitioners encompasses individuals, families, community and public education. Some seven million strong, professionals in allied health account for as much as 60-percent of the total U.S. healthcare workforce, showing how significant an impact they make on our healthcare system.
The expansion of the health industry resulting from an aging population and the growing number of healthcare workers reaching retirement age, combined with a lack of trained replacements and the industry’s need to be cost-efficient, suggest allied health professionals will remain in demand for the foreseeable future. Plus, advancements in technology are enabling patients who previously might be hospitalized to receive treatment from healthcare workers via ambulatory care.
Every way you examine growing demand for medical care leads to the realization that allied health professionals in non-hospital settings and ambulatory care sectors will be called upon to provide many of those services. In other words, demand for allied health professions likely will not cool any time soon.
Fortis Colleges and Institutes offer many different programs leading to careers in allied health professions. Learn more about which program might be right for you by visiting our Programs page, and discover which campus near you will provide the training you need to enter the Allied Health Profession of your choice.
