Future Trends: Health
Professions and Careers
Presented to Labour Market Conference
July 2014
Pamela Cawley
Dean of Health Sciences
Douglas College
Health Care
O Total spending on health care in Canada
was projected to reach $200 billion in 2011
and in 2013 health care spending reached
211 billion.
Overview of System Drivers
O Population Age
O Well elderly/knowledgeable
O Chronic conditions
O Population Knowledge
O Quantified Self
O Population Culture: Transformational
Overview of System Drivers
O Models of Care
O Curative, Preventative, Restorative,
Integrative
O Less time in institutions (hospital care)
O Increase in community and interprofessional
care
Overview of System Drivers
O Health Conditions
O Mental Health and substance challenges
O Chronicity
O Technology
O Changing Health Care Provider Workforce
O Regulation/credentialing
Future Health Care Providers
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
O Education
O Across the spectrum – certificates, diplomas,
degrees, post graduate
O Science base plus a broader knowledge
O Emotional Intelligence
O Communication, interpersonal, interprofessional
O Life long learning
O Intellectual/innovative curiosity
O Adaptability
O Technology
CIHI Health
Professions
Twenty Seven Health Care Professions
studied on an ongoing basis
http://www.cihi.ca/
CIHI Classified Health Care
Providers
O Audiologists
O Chiropractors
O Dental – dentists, dental
O
O
O
O
O
O
hygienists, assistants
Dietitians
Environmental and Public
Health
Health Information
Management
Pharmacist
Physician
Psychologists
O Nursing: RN, RPN, Nurse
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
Practitioner, LPN, Health
Care Support Worker
Medical Laboratory
Technologists
Medical Physicists
Medical Imaging
Midwives
Occupational Therapists
Physiotherapists
Optometry: Optometrists,
Opticians
Respiratory Therapists
Future Health Care Provider
Trends….2025
O Physicians/Physicians Assistants
O Anticipate a change in ration from 1.8/1000
to 1.4 per 1000
O Greatest shift in family practice
O Geographical disparity
Future Health Care Provider
Trends….2025
O Nursing
O Range of the term “nurse” difficult for public
and consumer – wide range of knowledge,
skills and abilities
O 2010 data 269,000 Registered Nurses
(degree as entry to practice or 7.7 nurses per
1,000 population). Males in nursing has
remained steady over the years –
approximately 6%
Future Health Care Provider
Trends….2025
O Shift to increased range – LPN’s HCSW
(various titles)-regulation changing.
O Salaries increased significantly over 10 year
period for nurses in practice – 55 – 90K –
producing an issue with nurses going into
education and research
O RPN
O Nurse Practitioner
Future Health Care Provider
Trends….2025
O Supply and Demand
O Vast majority of health care professions are
demonstrating an adequate rate of supply
and demand
O Professions increasing by 50% or more:
physiotherapists (53%), pharmacists (54%),
dietitians (56%), optometrists (58%),
chiropractors (75%), respiratory therapists
(81%), medical physicists (83%),
occupational therapists (88%), dental
hygienists (102%), social workers (163%)
Future Health Care Provider
Trends….2025
O Supply and Demand
O Average age in vast majority of health care
provider roles is 35 – 45 yrs. of age.
Physicians, RPNs, RNs and Med Lab Tech at
the top end of age in workforce (55 yrs. Plus)
O Percentage of workforce that is part time
remains steady – may be choice or
availability (22% of workforce) with an
increase in GP’s, dentists, psychologists, and
dental hygienists.
Future Health Care Provider
Trends….2025
O Emerging Trends
O Health Technology/analytics/big data –
emerging market: electronic health records,
privacy, data security
O Biomedical Engineering and Innovation
O Simulation
O Health Business/Policy/Insurance
Future Health Care Provider
Trends….2025
O Emerging Trends
O Community Based Care – Pharmacy
O Chronicity/Disability specialists
O Health and Wellness Markets-
Kinesiology/Physiotherapy
O Fitness Specialist
O Public Health and Safety
O Rural and Cultural/Global Health