Because needs in patient care and technology are changing, so are the health care jobs that will be needed in the coming years.

The health system is a reflection of the community around us, says Joe Dorko, CEO of Lutheran Health Network. He says the network employs more than 7,000 people, but not all those positions are your typical doctor and nurse thing.

Now with the federal Affordable Care Act, which requires virtually all Americans to have insurance by 2014, local health experts see greater demands not only for nurses, doctors and other health care professionals, but also for accountants, computer experts, statisticians and those with communication skills.

Meeting that demand will require more nurses, but Dorko says the role of a nurse will change. There will be more emphasis on the outpatient aspect, he says, as hospitals work to reduce the number of people admitted compared with years past. That means working harder on preventive treatment and teaching and helping people maintain their treatment plans.

Greg Johnson, chief medical officer for Parkview Hospital, says primary care by nurse practitioners and in family practice will continue to play a big role in health cares future.

The post acute care arena, which focuses on patients once they are discharged from a hospital, will continue to expand, Johnson says. He says potential jobs in this area include medical techs, nurses, and physical or occupational therapists.

Dorko says Lutheran is starting to identify nurses who can work in nontraditional roles that require an increased emphasis on telephone communication, ability to digest and understand data and information in computer systems, and ability to help people maintain a higher standard of living through medication control, diet and physical activity.

Thats where new careers will develop, such as health coaches, who will, for example, help 65-year-olds get exercise and live a healthy lifestyle, Dorko says.

Dorko says it will be challenging for schools to start to generate a slightly different skill set for nurses. Johnson says Parkview continues to partner with local nursing programs to help meet these future demands.

Were blessed to have some incredible nursing programs in our area, he says.

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Jobs shift with health care