By Abdullahi Muhammed

As the healthcare industry is undergoing major digital transformations, new gig work opportunities come up with increased frequency. What’s even better, right now there’s not enough people to fill in all the positions and healthcare jobs are among the least competitive ones. So if you have the relevant training and skills, below are eight gig work options worth considering.

1. Medical transcriptionist

Given today’s technology, there is no reason for a medical transcriptionist to have to work on-site. And medical providers are embracing the concept that much of their workforce can certainly do so. As a medical transcriptionist, your job will involve inputting patient information, keeping a log of ongoing records, reducing physician dictation to writing, and then submitting those transcriptions according to deadlines/requests. While most medical transcriptionists receive some type of post-secondary training, some have only a high school diploma.

Depending on your skills and training you can expect to earn between $15-$30 per hour. That’s not much, but a remote working arrangement always gives you more opportunities to create side income sources.

2. Nurse case manager

This is a bit of a complex position, and duties can vary, depending on the employer involved. Basically, a nurse case manager is usually a registered nurse whose job it is to coordinate care and other services such as workers’ compensation claims/resolutions, home health care, etc. In essence, the case manager is a facilitator. These positions are ideal for remote work, because case managers are often “in the field.” Working from home is a logical outgrowth of the increasing move toward remote work in general.

Local and state laws may vary, but case management may involve certifications, even in addition to an RN degree/cert. The additional education is worth it, though, because nurse case managers can earn up around $75,000 annually.

3. Clinical program manager

Clinical program managers primarily work for research and development organizations. They organize, track, and report out clinical trials and studies. Thanks to technology, much of this is now done remotely and offers a great opportunity to qualified people. A background in medicine and medical protocols is certainly a requirement, and some type of nursing or nurse practitioner degree/certification is preferred.

On top of that, clinical program managers are also often responsible for external communications and healthcare marketing for the institution/program they are working on. So having good people skills and some hands-on experience is an added bonus.

The mean salary is in the upper $80,000 range, but can be higher if commission and bonuses are included.

4. Healthcare recruiter

As stated above, the healthcare field is not horribly competitive. There are always openings, and healthcare organizations often employ remote recruiters to serve their staffing needs. If you have a history of successful recruiting, in healthcare or a related sector, you can command a salary of around $50,000 per year. As a remote employee, chances are you will be on salary plus commission.

5. Fitness trainer

If you have a knack for workouts, instructing and motivating other individuals or groups in strength training and other exercise activities, this could be for you. You could work in health clubs, gyms, recreation centers, country clubs, hospitals, universities, resorts and clients' homes.

As a fitness trainer, the average salary you can expect to get paid is $60,557. This can rise up to $74,390, depending on your education, experience, work history and certifications. If you study NASM and get the certification for instance, your earning potential would be significantly higher.

6. Health IT/nursing informatics specialist

These positions are very much and depend on how ‘digital’ the institution is. Some may require help with EHR/EMR development and maintenance. More digitally mature institutions may seek data science expertise. In case of the latter, such specialists will need to collect, organize, and analyze data that may be related to specific medical diagnoses, issues, diseases, etc. on which organizations are working. It involves working with large amounts of research and patient data and requires high levels of security.

Remote workers in this field must have computer science training, usually through an advanced degree, and a healthcare background is obviously a big plus. This combination of nurse and computer training can result in an average salary of about $100,000.

7. Medical illustrator

A combination of an academic medical background with art and graphic design can land you a remote job with medical publishers. And if you can add writing and editing to this mix, you will be in high demand. A lot of medical illustration today is done digitally, including newer technologies of animation and AR/VR, so make sure your skills set is up to date!

The average salary is in the mid-$50,000 range, though you can commission more work if you work on a per-project basis.

8. Patient advocate

This is really a branch of case management, but with a specialty in working directly with a patient and his/her needs. Many hospitals and social service agencies employ patient advocates who work remotely because they are “in the field” much of the time. Communications, reports, etc. can all be handled through secure transmission technology. Remote employees in this field can expect salaries ranging from $50,000 - $60,000.