This week we recognize National Allied Health Week! Comprising nearly 60% of all health care providers, allied health practitioners greatly influence health care delivery by complementing and supporting the roles of our physicians and specialists at Beacon. This entire week, November 1-7, is dedicated to our team of allied health professionals who have a significant impact on our patients by providing diagnostic evaluation, treatment to diseases and disorders, and rehabilitation services.
Emphasizing their vital role in all healthcare systems, the demand for allied healthcare workers is growing nearly twice as fast as the national economy. Without the 7 million of them already working throughout the country, many patients wouldn’t receive the full spectrum of care they need — from specialized therapy, diagnostic services, or primary or urgent care to the many other types of professions and services they provide.
Who are Allied Health Professionals?
The goal of National Allied Health Week is to raise awareness of the care these professionals provide and to give them recognition they deserve. It also creates a perfect opportunity to share the importance of allied health professionals, the need for their work in the healthcare system, and the collaborative care they provide to all patients ensuring they receive the best possible treatment plan for their needs.Beyond Beacon, allied health professionals are the people in hospitals, offices, schools, and physician’s clinics that provide services relating to general health and the identification, evaluation, treatment, and prevention of diseases and disorders. Allied health professionals include:
- Physical, occupational and respiratory therapists
- Physician assistants
- Medical clinical laboratory scientists
- Emergency medical personnel (EMT and paramedics)
- Imaging specialists
- Audiologists and speech-language pathologists Informatics and information management personnel
- Orthotists, prosthetists, nutritionists, dietitians and more
Times of COVID
While allied health professionals have always had an important role to play in patient treatment, care and recovery, COVID-19 has enhanced their role even more to include supporting patients through the physical and mental impact of coronavirus — from patients to their loved ones. We thank all allied health professionals for their contribution to COVID-19 patient recovery and for the ongoing care they continue to provide to the broader community during this pandemic.
National Allied Health Professionals Week is recognized by the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions, an organization representing allied health education and practice in the United States. It's recognized the full first week of November.