One who creates and manages information systems can specialize in any number of career fields such as, in manufacturing, data centers, social media, online security or in the development of websites, however, one of the most popular usages is within our healthcare system, especially due to recent legislation that mandates the consolidation of all medical records into an electronic format. As you earn an online Bachelor’s degree in Health Informatics, you will be awarded with the opportunity to obtain your choice of many job title options.
You may want to consider a career as a Medical Record and Health Information Technician. In this position, you will receive patient forms, medical history records and test results from doctors and nurses to insert into a patient’s electronic database. A certain amount of medical knowledge is required, however, to assure that accurate information is being properly recorded. They also must maintain confidentiality, always, to ensure the patient’s privacy.
Medicine covers a wide array of specializations; therefore, you may have the option of a certain type of medical recording to choose from such as, in the job of Medical Coding, who translates a diagnosis or procedure into a numeric code in which insurance companies and healthcare offices both recognize for billing and reference. Another sub-type focuses on cancer related illnesses and data. All within this job title, you may also be responsible for the maintenance and performance, as well as, minor repairs of an electronic health records computer system, in addition to, executing software upgrades to ensure that the latest developments are utilized, along with, guarding against hackers and computer viruses while assuring security procedures are upheld.
A Medical Records and Health Information Technician’s salary can range from $38,040 annually to upwards of $55,170 per year, depending on educational degree and specific responsibilities. Health Information Technicians can be found in general medical facilities, hospitals, outpatient clinics, medical research organizations, insurance companies, nursing homes and government health agencies.
While earning your online Bachelor’s degree in Health Informatics, you may also want to consider a position as a Health IT Consultant. They are often called upon to evaluate how a healthcare records computer system is running and how to best optimize its performance to ensure efficiency and profits. Information Technology Consultants will meet with employees or supervisors to get a feel for what capabilities are desired, as well as, what bugs need to be repaired. They usually compile a report of their findings and are hired then to repair, update or maintain the computer system’s efficiency. The salary for a Health IT Consultant averages about $89,879 annually, however, depending on your educational degree, you could earn up to $111,648 per year.
An Informatics Nurse focuses on clinical practice, as well as, Information Technology application. In this position, you will be responsible for training others and overseeing that the latest technology is used to record patient records in the electronic healthcare system. You will at least need a bachelor’s degree in nursing to be an Informatics Nurse, however, some employers require a masters’ degree, depending on the job description. Certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center may not be required, but will improve your chances of getting the job you desire exponentially. The average pay for an Informatics Nurse can range from between $56,845 per year to $98,703 annually, however, the average salary for a Clinical Director can reach $104,505 annually, with certification. If you would prefer to work within the atmosphere of a consulting firm, you can earn up to $153,576 per year, depending on your credentials and experience.
If you would like to learn more about this field, please see our list of the Top 15 Online Schools for Bachelor’s of Health Informatics degree programs.