Health informatics jobs are fairly new and entirely dependent on modern technology, but this emerging field has exploded with opportunity because hospitals see the importance of these workers. While a health informatics degree is highly specialized, there are many jobs for graduates. This degree differs from a general IT degree because it is specifically meant for the healthcare industry, and it emphasizes analyzing and utilizing medical data more than handling software and hardware.
Health Informatics Consultant
Federal guidelines are saying that hospitals have to properly use patient data and information, but the costs of have a full-time team can be too much for smaller hospitals. A consultant acts as an independent worker who helps the hospital only when it needs assistance. You will primarily update networks, analyze new data and train teams to work with applicable software. Most consultants have a six-year degree and several years of experience. While you can get a salaried position with an outsourcing firm, many consultants work independently and make around $80,000 a year.
Electronic Medical Record Keeper
This is typically an entry-level position, but some hospitals require workers to have several years of experience before being promoted to this position. The record keeper will input the patient’s data, such as conditions, symptoms, recent medical history and any other pertinent information. This data is used by the hospital and insurance companies to provide the patient with relevant care while helping him or her afford the services. The Affordable Care Act has created a massive need for these workers, which makes it perfect for those who just graduated. You will typically make around $50,000 to $60,000 a year as a medical record keeper.
Chief Medical Information Officer
This is typically the highest health informatics position. You will need a six-year degree and many years of experience before being promoted to the chief officer role. While your responsibilities will differ based on the organization, you will be responsible for constructing efficient IT systems for patient care, participating in governance boards and training the software development team. You will effectively act as the director and manager of the whole informatics department. If you can handle the stress, then you can make about $100,000 to $200,000 a year depending on the organization.
Healthcare IT Project Manager
This health informatics job is more general than the others. While most of the other positions are exclusively about collecting patient data and properly utilizing it, the project manager is responsible for ensuring that any applicable projects get done on time. Having a minor in business will help you get this job. You will be responsible for creating project plans to improve the available systems to better collect patient data. This ensures that the hospital can meet the changing needs of this industry. You’ll also identify weaknesses in the informatics department so that they can be fixed or improved. The project manager also has to ensure that every project gets done on time with minimal errors. You will often make around $70,000 a year for this position.
Conclusion
There are many different jobs for those with a health informatics degree. It might be a specialized degree, but hospitals need these workers as technology continues to advance. Not only that, but the Affordable Care Act has made health informatics jobs much easier to get.
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