As a graduate with an online Bachelor’s degree in Health Informatics, you may want to consider a career as a Health Care Information Technology (IT) Consultant. Although three to four years of relevant experience is required to attain this career goal, starting by earning your online bachelor’s degree is a stepping stone to earning between $50,000 to $140,000 annually, with an average of $75,511 to $81,320 per year.
The typical Health Care IT Consultant job is a full-time position, however, overtime is most likely, as well. In addition, you will need to be prepared for travel, as some clients may be located outside of your local area.
The Health Care IT field covers a wide array of job duty possibilities because it is a broad field. Within your training you will have learned about how to use technology to transfer or maintain a patient’s records in a universal computer system that is designed to assist physicians and nurses in the consolidation of medical history. This information helps all doctors involved in a patient’s care obtain an up-to-date diagnosis and all previous treatment plans. The field of Health Care IT also requires knowledge of privacy and security issues, as well as, financial practices and medical terminology.
With your online Bachelor’s degree in Health Informatics, as a Consultant you must be well versed in the field of Information Technology and computer systems that are designed to handle healthcare related data. You will also need to develop exceptional decision-making skills, be well organized, be an analytical thinker, and perhaps most importantly, a good communicator.
Naturally, the first step in attaining your goal as a Health Care IT Consultant is to obtain your online Bachelor’s degree in Health Informatics, and preferably, one that offers a solid foundation in Information Technology, as well. A program in Healthcare Administration would be helpful, too. Coursework should include medical terminology, medical ethics, mathematics, computer technology, in addition to, business classes such as, economics, accounting, statistics and marketing.
With supervision, entry level jobs in the field of Health Informatics can be found with an online Bachelor’s degree, however, to transition into a Consultant position, actual work experience will be required, which may include experience in the topics of researching and evaluating the proficiency of data systems to offer practical solutions for management and technology related issues. Typically, after the installation of a new or updated system, the IT Consultant is responsible for the training of a company’s employees.
If you would like to further your career, along with, increasing your paycheck, you may elect to earn your master’s degree while working a full-time job, if you so desire. A master’s degree will take you an additional two years to complete and allows you an opportunity to hone your skills while staying up-to-date on the latest and greatest in IT technology. In addition, you should consider earning your certification and joining a professional healthcare industry organization. Although the above options may not be required, however, your dedication to your craft will display your determination and tenacity in showing potential employers or clients that you are proficient and educated in what you do.
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.