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As the need for Medical Assistants grows, graduating Hug High Health Science Academy senior, Ana Hernandez Rodriguez, starts NHSE sponsored Renown Medical Assistant apprenticeship at TMCC According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of Medical Assistants is projected to grow 19 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. The growth of the aging baby-boom population continues to increase demand for preventive medical services here in Nevada and across the country. An increasing number of group medical practices, clinics, and other healthcare facilities also need medical assistants to perform administrative and clinical duties. Medical assistants work mostly in primary care, a steadily growing sector of healthcare. With an eye towards this future, Renown Health proudly accepted its first student, Ana Hernandez Rodriguez, a graduating senior from Procter R. Hug High School’s Health Science Academy CTE program in Washoe County, into its newly created Medical Assistant apprenticeship program. Ana will begin the program as a full-time employee with benefits and start her apprenticeship coursework at Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC). Sponsored by the Nevada System for Higher Education (NSHE), Renown’s Medical Assistant Apprenticeship Program was approved by the Nevada State Apprenticeship Council, which was overseen by the Governor’s Office of Workforce Innovation (OWINN), in February. The Renown Medical Assistant Apprenticeship is a one-year competency-based program that includes up to 2,000 hours of On-the-Job training and 193 hours of Related Technical Instruction offered through TMCC. All classroom, clinic and work time is paid. Apprentices work under the supervision of a Medical Assistant, Registered Nurse, or medical provider to assist in responsibilities including escorting the patient from the waiting room to the examination room, taking vital signs, stocking supplies, placing and receiving phone calls including appropriate documentation in the Electronic Medical Record, preparing lab specimens for processing, completing the necessary referral forms, obtaining authorizations and keeping records for referrals. Upon completion of the program, apprentices complete the final exam to become a National Certified Medical Assistant. “NSHE is proud to serve as the apprenticeship program sponsor and create more apprenticeship opportunities like this program throughout Nevada,” said Cheryl Olson, NSHE Apprenticeship Navigator and Director of the Nevada Alliance for Youth Apprenticeship. “We welcome Ana as she joins our extraordinary team of healthcare professionals at Renown,” said Tony Slonim, MD, DrPH, President & CEO of Renown. “We are always looking to support and invest in the next generation of health professionals to address the health needs of our community. Medical Assistants serve an essential role in physician offices, hospitals and other healthcare facilities performing important administrative and clinical responsibilities and assisting in medical care including greeting patients, recording medical histories and vital signs and helping to coordinate care.” According to the US Department of Labor “Projections Central” the demand for Medical Assistants in Nevada will increase by over 25% by 2028, with over 260 job openings available per year. On the importance of apprenticeship programs like Renown’s Medical Assistant program, NSHE Chancellor Melody Rose said, “The Nevada System of Higher Education is committed to promoting more attainable, affordable, and innovative pathways toward successful careers in fields like healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and information technology through apprenticeships. Programs such as the Renown Medical Assistant apprenticeship are changing how we think about accessing higher education and offering true ‘Learn and Earn’ pathways.” Ana’s acceptance into the Medical Assistant apprenticeship program is a proud moment for her soon-to-be alma mater. “Ana has earned this opportunity through hard work and dedication to her studies,” said Melissa Osterhage, who teaches health sciences at Procter Hug High School. “She is a compassionate, caring, and intelligent young woman, and I look forward to seeing everything she will accomplish as she moves forward in a career in the medical field. I couldn’t be more proud of her, and I am grateful she has been awarded this apprenticeship.” Ana graduates from Hug High on June 22 and starts her Medical Assistant apprenticeship program just a few days later on June 29, and is excited for her future. "Being accepted to this opportunity at Renown has been amazing and wonderful. When they told me I was accepted, I was so excited that I cried because I felt so blessed. This is going to help my future in so many ways. It is going to give me the opportunity to work in the medical field. I will start as a Medical Assistant and my goal is to work toward becoming a registered nurse. I took a leap of hope and made it. So, I tell others- believe in yourself and you can accomplish anything in life," she said. Ana is also welcomed to Renown by Michelle Sanchez-Bickley, Chief Human Resources Officer at Renown, who helped coordinate this workforce program. “Healthcare jobs in Nevada represent excellent employment for thousands of Nevadans poised to enter the state’s workforce over the next decade. Opportunities are increasing as we encounter growing demand for health care services at Renown, coupled with population growth, an improving economy, and retirees relocating to the Silver State. Ana and our Medical Assistants are so vital to helping our medical providers care for patients and are critical to the excellent care we provide.” For more information on the next Medical Assistant Apprenticeship program, please email kayla.mcmain@renown.org. To apply for a career opportunity at Renown visit our website.     About Renown Health Renown Health is the region’s largest, local not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,200 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest, locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Clinical institutes include: Cancer, Heart and Vascular Heath and Neurosciences. Renown is currently enrolling participants in the world’s largest community-based genetic population health study, the Healthy Nevada Project®. For more information, visit renown.org. About OWINN OWINN helps drive a skilled, diverse, and aligned workforce in the state of Nevada by promoting cooperation and collaboration among all entities focused on workforce development. Its chief objectives are to prepare all K-12 students for college and career success, increase the number of Nevadans with postsecondary degrees and credentials, and boost employment outcomes in training and credentialing programs. About NSHE The Nevada System of Higher Education, comprised of two doctoral-granting research universities, a state college, four comprehensive community colleges, and one environmental research institute, serves the educational and job training needs of Nevada. NSHE provides educational opportunities to more than 100,000 students and is governed by the Nevada Board of Regents. The System includes the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada State College, Desert Research Institute, the College of Southern Nevada, Great Basin College, Truckee Meadows Community College, and Western Nevada College. About Washoe County School District The Washoe County School District includes the Reno/Sparks metropolitan area, Incline Village, Gerlach, and Wadsworth, Nevada. The District provides each of its 62,000 students with a superior education in a safe and challenging environment and is committed to graduating every child career- and college ready.

Read More About First Student Welcomed to Medical Assistant Program at Renown

Hospital network brings high-quality, affordable, on-demand acute care to local residents. DispatchHealth, a provider of in-home medical care, today announced a partnership with Renown Health to provide Reno/Sparks residents with high- quality medical care in the comfort of their homes. The partnership aims to provide patients with another option for safe access to medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. DispatchHealth and Renown’s goal is to offer the most vulnerable patients at-home care options if it is in the best interest of their health needs. DispatchHealth’s model is uniquely positioned to help treat an extensive range of common to complex injuries and illnesses, including but not limited to urinary tract infections, dehydration, fall injuries, nausea, sutures and more and is accepted by most major insurance plans. If a patient is uninsured, there is a flat fee of $275, which includes all medications administered and lab tests on site. “It’s more important than ever to be able to offer patients convenient, high-acuity medical care that is also cost-efficient,” said Bill Butcher, regional market director, DispatchHealth. “The partnership with Renown Health provides safe care for people without them having to leave their home, helping to ensure community members get the right care at the right place at the right time.” Patients requiring medical services for sudden or urgent illness, such as sore throat or skin rashes, can request care by going to the DispatchHealth website, accessing the free mobile app  or calling 775-439-1529. Once contacted, the medical team arrives within a few hours to treat the patient in their place of need and consists of either a physician assistant or nurse practitioner, along with a medical technician. DispatchHealth’s medical teams wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) during all visits, including masks, gloves, and protective eyewear. Additionally, kits and devices are sanitized during and between visits. The medical team is able to perform a variety of advanced tests and treatments, ranging from blood tests to a 12-lead EKG, to IV fluids and more. To ensure continuity of care, DispatchHealth provides a detailed report to each primary care physician, living community, or a home health agency, in addition to electronically sending prescriptions to a patient’s pharmacy if needed. For emergencies, including but not limited to, chest pain, signs of a stroke, allergic reactions or severe injuries, individuals are urged to call 911 and seek safe, acute care in one of Renown’s emergency rooms. Renown has a variety of safety measures in place contributing to the overall health and safety of its patients and staff. Learn more about Renown’s commitment to keeping the community safe. “Renown is focused on the well-being of our patients and community. Our goal is to improve health through proactive community-based prevention, while creating the best healthcare system for those with acute and chronic disease,” said Dr. Tony Slonim, president and CEO of Renown Health. “We strive to find innovative ways to serve our community and are pleased to partner with DispatchHealth to bring affordable, on-demand in-home emergent and urgent healthcare delivery to patients in the Reno/Sparks area. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Renown and DispatchHealth worked diligently to accelerate the launch of this program in our community to help us continue fighting the good fight against the virus.” Renown accelerated the launch of DispatchHealth in order to help fulfil its mission of making a genuine difference in the health and well-being of the people and communities it serves. The first mobile medical vehicle arrived in-market on April 20 and a second vehicle will be operational May 19. DispatchHealth is available in 19 markets across the U.S., including Las Vegas and the Reno area from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time, seven days a week, 365 days a year, including holidays. Hours of service will expand to 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. with the launch of the second vehicle on May 19.     About DispatchHealth DispatchHealth has redefined healthcare delivery to offer on-demand acute care and advanced medical care for people of all ages in the comfort of their own home. DispatchHealth's emergency trained medical teams are equipped with all the tools necessary to treat common to complex injuries and illnesses. DispatchHealth works closely with payers, providers, health systems and others to deliver care in the home to reduce unnecessary emergency room visits, as well as hospital stays and readmissions. A visit with DispatchHealth typically costs 80-90 percent less than the average emergency room visit. Acute care medical teams are available during the day and also on weekends, evenings and holidays, and can be requested via app, online or a quick phone call. Advanced Care and Extended Care patients must be referred by a healthcare professional. DispatchHealth is partnered with most major insurance companies. For  more information, visit DispatchHealth.com. About Renown Health Renown Health is a locally governed and locally owned, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving northern Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. Renown is one of the region’s largest private employers with a workforce of more than 7,000. It comprises three acute care hospitals, a rehabilitation hospital, the area’s most comprehensive medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest and only locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown has a long tradition and commitment to continually improve the care and the health of our community. For more information, visit renown.org.

Read More About Dispatch Health Partners & Renown to Provide In-Home Medical Care