Did you know the CDC’s most recent published data states that 48.6% of Americans have taken at least one prescription drug in the past 30 days? If you extend it to three or more prescription drugs, the number drops to 24% of people.
That’s still nearly a quarter of the U.S. population though! Plus, the more medications you combine, the higher risk of negative drug interference.
Luckily, there are many people behind the scenes working to increase medication safety. But which jobs in medicine contribute to safety in drug production and distribution?
We’re here to fill you in. Keep reading below to learn about a few of the important yet lesser-known medical jobs that exist.
HEOR Scientists and Analysts
One of the most rapidly growing fields in the medical industry is the health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) corner. HEOR is a field that studies the social effects of medication and treatments in the real world. It also examines the economic effects of the application of treatments in the real world.
Clinical trials offer a wealth of data, but they can’t track the long-term effects treatments have on a patient. This is especially true for those with chronic conditions. Clinical studies also fail to recognize the economic impact treatments have on users.
HEOR scientists and analysts study how a treatment affects a person’s long-term quality of life. They examine whether the benefits outweigh the cost of the treatment.
They also study how the treatment will affect future illness and disease patterns. It’s a fascinating field offering information that helps agencies better regulate treatment options.
Medical Illustrators
When it comes to careers in medicine, artists aren’t what people first think of. A medical illustrator, though, is an artist who creates visual tools used in medical contexts. You’ll often find these visuals in doctor’s offices, textbooks, and patient pamphlets.
You may assume that their work isn’t very critical, but medical illustrators play a key role in medication safety. For students, it’s important that they have a reliable understanding of things like human anatomy and visual cues of illness or medication side effects.
For patients, these visuals are a supplementary tool they can reference when a doctor is explaining medication to them. Illustrations also help patients distinguish between different medications and learn how they travel through their bodies.
Nuclear Pharmacists
A nuclear pharmacist almost sounds like a character from a science-fiction book. It’s a very real profession and one of the most unique medical safety jobs out there though! In fact, the Board of Pharmacy Specialties recognized nuclear pharmacology as its first specialty in 1978.
A nuclear pharmacist works to make sure radioactive drugs, such as those used to treat cancer, are safe and effective. They do this through drug compounding, quality control testing, and distributing. They also continue monitoring the drug’s effects following its use.
Jobs in Medicine Keeping Patients Safe
The jobs in medicine that keep patients safe aren’t always obvious. Medication safety control is a huge job, though, and thousands of employees play a part. With the info above, you’ll have a better idea of how a handful of these medical jobs keep medication safe.
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