In the past few years, working at home has become more mainstream. Technology has allowed for more industries to offer telecommute positions without any loss of accuracy or production. That includes the medical industry. Believe it or not, there are several work from home healthcare jobs available.
Even though it seems like a nurse would have to be onsite, caring for patients, many of the available online positions provide care through over-the-phone services. With the current shortages of doctors, the healthcare industry has begun to utilize remote nurses to provide quick assessments of patients, helping to alleviate some of the pressure off the in-office staff. Most online positions will require certification and/or experience, luckily that can be completed online as well.
And if you already a nurse, the good news is there continues to be a high demand for nurses. Due to an aging population and chronic problems such as heart disease and obesity, the need for qualified nurses seems like it will never go away. The number of RNs is expected to increase from 15% from 2016 to 2026!
Working from home is not for everyone but if you are a goal-driven, a self-starter, and would like a more flexible career with less commute, take a look at some of your options!
1. Phone Triage Nurse
Most insurance companies and some physician’s offices offer after hours or non-emergency “ask-a-nurse” hotlines where patients can ask general questions about treatment or equipment or assess the urgency of a medical condition. The sort of calls they might deal with include what to do if a child is ill, clarification on a treatment plan, or general questions about a prescription. These positions typically require a Bachelor’s Degree and possibly proper state licensing. You can find several companies that hire triage nurses and insurance liaisons at:
- Sirona Health
- Fonemed
- CareNet
- McKesson
- CVS
- Mercy
- Medtronic
- AxisPoint Health
- HealthHelp – RN, LVN, or LPN work at home jobs
- Johnson & Johnson
- Citra Health Solutions
- PharmMD – Patient Engagement Specialist
2. Medical Transcriptionist
Many doctors dictate patient notes after an office visit. These voice recordings then need to be transcribed. Transcriptionist should also be listening for any missing information or errors that could be interfering with the patient's care. Providing consistent work is vital so it is easy for doctors and nurses to understand the patient’s records quickly. This work can be extremely flexible and can be perfect for a someone who has small children at home and can only dedicate a few hours at a time to working.
Most companies will require completion of an approved course such as the one offered through Career Step. Payment plans and funding assistance are available. They will need to use audio playback equipment or software. Compensation varies either by hours worked or lines transcribed. Medical transcription jobs and companies that frequently hire can be found at:
- Company List
- Search MTJobs
- iMedX
3. Medical Billing and Coding
Coding specialists review patient records and input the proper codes for insurance billing. Coders are in high demand and this is a growing field with many organizations desperately searching for a coder to fill a position. While many work on-site, there are telecommute positions available as well. The average income is around $40,000 annually. As with most work from home healthcare jobs, this one also required training and certification. This can be done through CareerStep. Job listings can be found at:
- Career Assist
- AAPC
- Altegra
- McKesson
- AviaCode
4. Medical Writers
Writers who have knowledge of the healthcare industry are needed for a variety of publications both online and off. Writers often need to be able to take complex medical concepts and put it in simple English so the masses can understand it. Needed materials include promotional materials, journal articles, medical website copy, textbooks and much more. Jobs can be found at:
- http://www.amwa.org/
- Study.com
- Freelance Writer's Den
Many hospitals and medical facilities also employ nurse bloggers. If you have a clear writing style, a strong grasp of grammar, and have experience working in the medical field, see if sites in your area have blogs and inquire as to whether they are hiring. Or you could start your very own blog. If you are relatively tech-savvy, this could be a flexible way to earn a bit of side-income. It gives you complete autonomy over hours worked and content and you can be your own boss.
5. Insurance Claims & Customer Service
Many of the large insurance companies hire nurses to help process their claims and handle customer service issues. And many of these nurses work from home, talking on the phone to customers to help them understand any products and services questions they may have. They also might assist the customers in helping them to understand their treatment plans and the different options available to them.
Many customer service positions are also called Patient Care Advocates. Keep that in mind when performing your searches.
- Express Scripts
- United HealthCare
- Cigna
- Anthem
- Aetna
6. Pharmacists
You may be wondering how a pharmacist could work from home. Rather than filling prescriptions, these remote workers offer consulting services to patients helping them understand and administer their prescriptions and find the best discount programs available.
7. Recruiter
Do you like meeting and connecting with new people? Then recruiting might be for you! Companies rely on people to help recruit nurses into their programs. Your role would be to match nurses into specific programs, so a strong ability to read people and understand quickly their strengths and weakness is needed. Many times, you would be working with closely with human resources departments. Through your work as a recruiter, you can have a large impact on the number of people you are able to find the perfect position for.
This position is often commission-based and you must be self-driven and motivated to complete your work.
8. Case Management
Case managers evaluate the clinical and psychosocial needs of a patient and help develop a treatment and care plan and answer any questions the patient might have. As the main point of contact for the patients, you would have to be able to help your client through their medical process and give them the correct referrals if needed. You would also be required to coordinate with other care providers in order to follow the treatment plan and follow up on results.
You are able to get a behavior case manager job with an associate degree but have a better chance with a Bachelor's degree. Strong clinical knowledge is necessary and many times you must know how to run practice management systems.
- nurse.com
- Cigna
- AmerisourceBergen
- Telehealth Care Coach Coordinator with Sykes
- 83Bar – Clinical Contact Specialists
9. Nurse Educator
If you have experience nursing and a passion for spreading that knowledge, you can find work as an educator at an accredited university online. Master’s degrees are often required to be able to teach from home. The teacher would be responsible for evaluating the students, providing feedback, and planning the curriculum, and, of course, teaching. Every state has schools that have an online nursing program so do a search to find the school that fits you best. If you don’t have a Master’s degree, then you can work as a tutor, but the pay will be much lower with fewer responsibilities.
10. Legal Nurse Consulting
Companies are looking for registered nurses who are able to serve as liaisons between the healthcare and legal industry. Most legal professionals are unable to read a medical chart or understand fully a case, so the legal nurse consultants will help bridge the gap of knowledge. They may need to identify standards of care, review medical records, or summarize a patient's illness or injury. Through this work, the consultants can help reduce the number of misjudged people due to the court’s misunderstanding or misinformation about a medical case.
The job field for nurses in legal consulting is growing quickly. You must be licensed in the state you work and must complete a 6-week program in legal nurse consultant. Courses will include legal terminology and medical malpractice.
11. Quality Management Nurse Consultant
Nurses who don’t want to be involved directly with patient care can try their hand at quality management. They would be in charge of reviewing data and providing recommendations based on the information they found in relation to risk, patient safety, and infection prevention. They would be involved in the risk management program and offer suggestions to improve the safety of the hospital based on what they observe. The consultants would coordinate with all departments at the office or hospital to ensure that patients are getting the best and safest care possible.
A certification in quality management is usually required. An online search for companies hiring a quality management consultant can be done to find a company in your state hiring. Other jobs can be found here:
- Humana
- GeBBS Healthcare Solutions – positions usually listed on Indeed or FlexJobs
12. Work-at-Home LPN Jobs
While there may be some overlap with companies listed above, below are companies known for hiring LPNs to work from home. You will need a active license in your state.
- Aetna
- Bayada Home Health Care
- Catasys
- Cigna
- Covance
- Envision Healthcare
- eQHealth
- eviCore
- HealthHelp
- Hospital Corporation of America
- LifePoint
Generally, companies will hire nurses as either part-time or full-time employees, instead of as independent contractors. They often offer benefits including 401(k) plans, paid holidays, and medical and dental insurance. However, each job and company is different and requires a thorough reading of the job description to make sure you are fully qualified and licensed in the correct state. Not every company will hire in every state.
Nurses no longer have to be confined to a building and can perform many vital roles outside of the office or hospital. But working from home is not for everyone. The benefits can be appealing; no long, boring meetings, you can wear pajamas to work, and there is no commute. On the other hand, the cons can include lack of support from colleagues which could lead to feelings of isolation and you may find it difficult to escape from work because you are always connected to your phone and computer. However, for many, working at home can provide the perfect work/life balance with flexible hours and flexible pants policy!
If working at home as a nurse is the right fit for you, check out FlexJobs. Their leads are always researched and always telecommute. Their listings typically include a good number of leads in the healthcare industry. Many companies list their job listings directly on job board sites like FlexJobs so make sure to check back regularly!