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Top Healthcare Jobs in Demand: Fall 2020, Part 1 of 3

If you’re looking for a medical career in the Phoenix area, we have good news for you. There are many healthcare jobs in demand this Fall. Today we’re going to talk about medical billers and coders, phlebotomists, and pharmacy techs.

Medical Coder/Biller

Medical coders and billers are both administrative positions that deal with the revenue side of healthcare. While they each have unique roles, there is some overlap between the positions. Coders translate medical services into current procedural terminology (CPT), and medical billers create claims based on CPT codes. Both coders and billers access patient records to obtain the information needed.

Medical billers work to assemble and review all data concerning a bill and create and submit claims based on the codes provided by medical coders. They also ensure that the billing of services is handled correctly. Medical coders work to translate physicians’ reports into meaningful medical codes. They ensure that all relevant information is coded appropriately, ensuring consistency and accuracy.

Job Requirements and Skills

Medical coders and billers need to be familiar with medical terminology and insurance codes. You’ll need to have high attention to detail to ensure documents are correctly executed. Good communication skills will come in handy when dealing with patients, insurance companies, and your coworkers. A basic understanding of accounting and bookkeeping is useful as you will be working with billing statements and need to reconcile them as payments come in.

While training and certification are not required, it can increase your potential income and job possibilities. If you decide to get trained, make sure that it is accredited by either the AAPC or AHIMA.

Salaries

In Phoenix, the average medical coding and billing salary is $41,578 in 2020. The typical range is from $38,684 to $45,501. Your salary can vary depending on your education, certification, and experience.

Benefits

Becoming a medical biller or coder doesn’t require a degree or accreditation. However, it will increase your chances and salary, and most people starting in medical billing and coding can be trained in less than a year, making the field easy to enter. You’re also likely to have a choice in what hours you work, as you can work remotely, or in person at a hospital where they often need people for a variety of shifts. Medical billers and coders have a variety of options when it comes to where they work, including hospitals, clinics, nursing homes support centers, and medical laboratories.

If you’d like to learn more about becoming a medical biller or coder, then check out our articles:

Phlebotomists

Phlebotomists are trained to draw and prepare blood as needed for medical testing, transfusions, or donation. Some of the collection methods are venipuncture, finger pricks, or heel pricks, in the case of infants. Phlebotomists also need to verify patient identities, ensure proper labeling of collection vials, explain the process to patients, guide anxious patients through the process, take steps to prevent tainting of samples, and more.

Woman having blood drawn
Photo by Obi Onyeador on Unsplash

Job Requirements and Skills

As a phlebotomist, you may be required to hold a certificate from an accredited school, but it’s a reasonably short program, usually lasting less than a year and includes hands-on training. Some employers may require you to obtain and maintain certification from a certifying organization such as the NCCT, NHA, or AMT and a handful of states require state certification.

Phlebotomists need to have strong attention to detail as they deal with a constant flow of patients and must be precise when drawing blood and keeping track of samples. Having empathy and strong communication skills are important for dealing with anxious patients to help put them at ease. Good hand-eye coordination is also vital as you’re working with your hands to draw blood quickly, efficiently, and with minimal discomfort to patients.

Salaries

The average salary for a phlebotomist in Phoenix is $34,677 in 2020. But the range falls between $31,235 and $38,732 typically. Your salary can range depending on factors such as education, certification, additional skills, and experience. With certifications, training, and experience, you’re able to command a higher salary within the range.

Benefits

If you like meeting new people, you’ll have a chance as a phlebotomist to do that every day. Depending on where you work, you may also have the potential to work alongside many other types of medical professionals. If you prefer not to sit behind a desk, then a career in phlebotomy could be ideal; you’ll often be on your feet, retrieving patients, walking samples to drop-offs, and gathering information from coworkers’. Phlebotomy is also an in-demand job as it’s needed in many types of medical facilities where patients are seen. Working in a healthcare field, you’ll have access to excellent health and retirement plans.

Pharmacy Techs

Pharmacy technicians work in pharmacies, retail, compound, or hospitals, with customers to fill prescriptions, interact with customers, help at the register, and assist with insurance forms. They work closely with and under the supervision of the pharmacist. As a pharmacy tech, some of the duties you’ll perform are measuring medications, mixing medications if working in a compound pharmacy, packaging and labeling prescriptions, and calling doctors to refill customers’ prescriptions. If you work in a hospital, you may also fill prescriptions such as intravenous medications.

Pharmacy technician filling prescriptions
Photo by Polina Tankilevitch from Pexels

Job Requirements and Skills

As a pharmacy technician, you’ll work closely with the pharmacist as well as customers. Being able to multitask in a busy environment, work under deadlines, have strong communication skills, and be detail-oriented are essential skills for a pharmacy tech. Pharmacy techs must possess strong attention to detail when interacting with customers and filling prescriptions.

Pharmacy techs typically have one to two years of training, and some states may require them to pass a certification exam or complete statewide registration. While an associate’s degree is not required for pharmacy technicians, it can raise your value as a candidate.

Salaries

In 2020, the average salary for pharmacy technicians in Phoenix is between $31,552 and $45,599. Your salary can vary widely on the exact position and location you are looking at. If you advance to a pharmacist, you can expect to make a higher salary once you’ve put in time as a pharmacy technician.

Benefits

If you work as a pharmacy technician, you’ll eventually be able to become a pharmacist, which offers a higher salary. Pharmacy techs can work in various locations, including nursing homes, hospitals, merchandise stores, pharmacies, and more, so you’ll have many options for job location. You can find work anywhere, allowing you to move, or move with a partner who’s received an out-of-state job opportunity. Pharmacy technicians have flexible hours in most locations, with many pharmacies and hospitals being 24/7, so you’re sure to find a schedule that fits your needs. To learn more about pharmacy technician requirements, check out our article here.

Get Started in an In-Demand Field Today

If you’d like help being placed in one of these in-demand healthcare jobs, we can help you. At Desert Medical Careers, we have years of experience placing applicants in their ideal positions. We help offer interview tips, review your resume, and ensure your goals match what employers are looking for.

If you’d like to be placed in one of these in-demand positions, contact Desert Medical Careers at (602) 468-6300 or fill out the form below to get contacted by a DMC expert.

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