Our healthcare workers are even more important than most people realize. The pandemic has shown us just how dependent we are on medical professionals in times of need, and when there aren’t enough of them to go around, we can find ourselves in serious trouble. Jeffrey Harrell, PA-C, believes that our society must do more to support the medical field in order to prevent a mass exodus of our healthcare workers.

Jeff’s Unique Journey to Medicine

Jeffrey first discovered his passion for saving lives while working with U.S. protective services and our paramilitary contractors overseas, and once he found himself stateside again, he sought an occupation that would allow him to continue his mission. After several months of searching, he finally found the perfect path for him: the medical field.

As was made painfully clear by the pandemic, working in the medical field is far from easy. Jeff has no misconceptions about the difficulties of his work in medicine, but he meets each day with a positive mindset and a productive attitude. “It can be a really tough job, but it’s incredibly fulfilling. I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” says Jeff.

The Future of Medicine

The medical field is always on the move, but it sometimes feels like the industry has changed more in the past two years than it has in the past ten. We are entering uncertain times, and though it seems impossible to predict how the industry will end up with any guarantee of accuracy, Jeff wants to share a few thoughts with those entering the field.

Jeff sees a turbulent future ahead for healthcare providers. Throughout the pandemic, he watched in disappointment as promises made to frontline workers went unfulfilled. “Many of us were told that we were lucky, that we should simply be glad to still have jobs in the end,” he recalls. The rampant maltreatment and lack of appreciation for American healthcare workers is a widespread issue, and unfortunately, it’s one that he doesn’t see going away any time soon. Despite their education and experience, American healthcare providers are consistently overworked, underpaid, and undervalued.

Jeff also worries for the future of an industry so deeply tangled up in red tape. He claims that “Bureaucracy and regulation are starving the medical field and bringing about dangerous levels of inefficiency and inefficacy.” It may even be pushing doctors and other providers away from the field, as they are concerned about their ability to effectively treat patients in this era of overbearing authority.

Jeff also foresees trouble for both novice and experienced healthcare providers in wading through the maze of red tape that is suffocating the medical industry and driving doctors into other professions. As Jeff explains, “Bureaucracy and regulation are starving the medical field and bringing about dangerous levels of inefficiency and inefficacy.”

“The medical field is undergoing some extensive changes right now,” says Jeff, “but they aren’t all negative. There’s always hope for the future.” Jeff hopes that the current trend towards defensive medicine — which values decisions that protect doctors from liability over those that help patients — will change in favor of a more offensive approach. “We need to focus on giving patients the care they really need, instead of doing just enough to cover our own backs,” he says.

Pursuing Other Options

While the medical industry heals from the pandemic, Jeff is looking to other avenues to secure his future. One of the most successful ventures Jeff is involved with is Avant-Garde Solutions, for which he serves as Managing Director. Avant-Garde is a one-of-a-kind consulting firm blending strategy and creativity to help businesses solve problems and reach their full potential. Their goal is to give confidence and control back to business owners with concrete, effective solutions. “Avant-Garde has given me the opportunity to save more than just people’s lives,” says Jeff. “I get to use my skills to help them reach their goals and live well.”