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Keith Sanderson Presents Public Health
Lecture on Health Care Job Market
“The Health Care Job Market: Is it Healthy?” was the focus of a
public health lecture at Northeast Alabama Community College on
April 14 as part of a series of free lectures on health issues
for people in the College’s service area. The lecture was
presented by Keith Sanderson, President and Founder of ABC
Hospice, Inc. Approximately 150 people attended.
Sanderson was introduced by Susan Barron, NACC Events Planner,
who said, “We welcome you and thank you being here today. Mr.
Sanderson is a long-time resident of Rainsville and his business
covers five counties. He is an Auburn graduate and has owned
several businesses prior to ABC Hospice. Mr. Sanderson will
speak about the health care job market and Hospice care.”
Sanderson thanked those in attendance and expressed appreciation
for the opportunity. He said, “I grew up with a pharmacist as a
father, and as a child I remember well his old-time drug store.
It was there that I met many of my father’s peers, and they
influenced me to do what I am doing today in the health care
field.”
Sanderson presented facts and statistics on the topics of ABC
Hospice, Inc. (which he founded in 2005), higher education
opportunities at NACC, the health care job market, and career
opportunities.
ABC Hospice, Inc., in its fifth year of operation, serves
DeKalb, Jackson, Cherokee, Marshall, and Madison counties. It is
licensed by the Alabama Department of Public Health, certified
by the Medicare/Medicaid Services Center, a member of Alabama
Hospice Organization, and a member of the National Hospice
Palliative Care Organization. The mission of ABC Hospice is “to
provide world-class care to all that we serve by ever upholding
our core values of empathy, respect, compassion, and integrity,”
said Sanderson.
He defined hospice care as the treatment that enhances comfort
and improves the quality of an individual’s life during the last
phase of life, six months or less. “We educate the patient about
what to expect, educate the patient’s family on expectations,
and enhance the patient’s life with physical, social, emotional,
and spiritual needs,” said Sanderson.
Careers in hospice care may include: administrative,
clergy/pastoral, customer service, home health aides/certified
nursing assistants, marketing, medical director, and nurses.
“NACC provides many health education opportunities in nursing,
EMS/Paramedic, medical assistant, radiology, certified nursing
assistant (non-credit), pre-pharmacy, pre-medicine, and programs
which will springboard a student to other fields,” said
Sanderson. “I attended Northeast. I wouldn’t be where I am today
if I had not gone to Northeast and taken advantage of the
opportunities provided. Use your education here to springboard
you to wonderful opportunities. This is an outstanding
institution.”
He explained that 2.6 million total jobs were lost in 2008, the
highest since 1945. Looking around the room he said, “In our
lifetime, this is the worst job market we have seen. During
2008, the health care job market added 487,000 jobs. In the
worst recession in our lifetime, health care jobs are still
available,” he continued.
“Is the health care job market healthy? The bottom line is that
there are no signs yet that this downturn is affecting
employment opportunities in health care,” said Sanderson. “It is
healthy, yes, and growing. Every part of the industry is
growing. I plan to be here in the future taking care of those in
need; my question to you is -- will any of you choose the health
care path?”
The following additional information was provided by Sanderson
during the question and answer session: Hospice is paid for,
usually by Medicare, but the care is provided to those who
qualify even it they are indigent and cannot pay. They receive
the same quality care of those who can pay. Ages of Hospice
patients range from one year old to 100 years old; there is no
minimum or maximum age. Work experience of those working in
Hospice is dictated by the market, of those who are available.
Hospice care is not restricted to cancer patients only; there
are patients with heart conditions, hydrocephalus, COPD,
pulmonary disease, dementia, and Alzheimer’s--anything that is
diagnosed as terminal, which encompasses a lot of illnesses. If
patients improve while on hospice, they are discharged and can
be re-evaluated at a future time. Wherever a patient is
determines where their care is provided; it must be their legal
residence.
Following the program, Barron stated, “We
thank Mr. Sanderson for being with us today. Thank all of you
for being here.”
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For more information about the
Health Care public lecture series, contact Susan Barron,
Director of Events Planning at
barrons@nacc.edu
or phone ext. 248.
Welcoming Keith Sanderson to the NACC
campus is Susan Barron, Director of Events Planning at
NACC. |
(Article written by and
photo taken by Debra A. Barrentine, Director of Promotions and
Marketing) |
