Allied Health Personnel
What are allied health personnel?
Allied health personnel deliver health or related services, which can include identifying, evaluating, and preventing diseases and disorders, rehabilitating and managing health systems, and providing dietary and nutritional services.
Allied health personnel are healthcare professionals who are distinct from medicine and nursing providers and typically fall into one of two categories: therapists/technologists or technicians (assistants). Some examples of allied health personnel include:
- Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Dental hygienists
- Medical technologists
- Dietitians
- Physical therapists
- Occupational therapists
- Speech language pathologists
- Respiratory therapists
- Radiographers
- Physician assistants
- Athletic trainers
- Audiologists
- Health information management professionals
Why are allied health personnel important for healthcare?
Allied health personnel play an important role in healthcare by providing optimal patient care and working with other healthcare professionals to diagnose, prevent, and treat disorders, diseases, and disabilities. In addition, allied health personnel advocate on the patient’s behalf to ensure they receive the best possible care.
Some allied health personnel work collaboratively with physicians, dentists, nurses, and pharmacists to provide comprehensive, patient-centered care. In these cases, they evaluate and assess the patient’s needs and care team about any progress or updates.
In other cases, allied health personnel can work independently as specialists in nutrition, exercise, speech, health education, or daily function.