Careers in health informatics

As the need for evidence-based healthcare solutions continues to grow, careers in health informatics offer vast opportunities for specialists to make a tangible difference. Whether an individual’s passion is technical development, data management, or healthcare policy, the field offers a challenging and rewarding pathway for development. 

What is health informatics? 

Health informatics is a multidisciplinary field of study that combines healthcare, information technology, and data analysis to improve patient care and streamline medical processes. It is a crucial component of modern healthcare because it manages electronic health records, develops systems for improved decision-making, and enables better communication between providers and patients. 

Health informatics professionals need an extensive set of both hard and soft skills. Whether a professional is overseeing large-scale data collection, analyzing patient data or sharing insights to improve efficiency, health informatics skills play an important role not just in individual career success but also the success of a healthcare facility.

A career in health informatics generally requires developing hard skills in:

• Information technology: This involves the management of information systems, including both software and hardware, that can intelligently communicate, store data and exchange information across a secure network. You should also know how to evaluate new tools and emerging technologies and be able to determine whether they are appropriate for the facility or system.
• Medical records management: You must know how to create, store and deliver confidential patient medical records through electronic or print channels. Professionals must also understand applicable privacy laws and standards for handling this sensitive information, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
• Data analysis: It’s important to understand how to assess and analyze raw data, collected digitally, in ways that can bolster healthcare facility efficiency and improve patient outcomes.
• Troubleshooting: Informatics professionals must know how to engage in ongoing system testing to identify issues, improve functionality and update hardware or software applications.

In addition to hard skills in technology and healthcare processes, it’s also a good idea to develop soft skills in order to work effectively in healthcare and team settings. These include:

• Public speaking: Professionals need to be able to communicate IT-related strategies and concepts to small or large groups of healthcare employees so that they understand their significance and impact.
• Instruction: It's important to be able to explain often complex healthcare informatics processes to doctors, nurses and other facility employees in ways that allow all staff to understand them and retain the information.
• Interpersonal communication: In addition to formal presentations and training sessions, health informatics professionals are often required to informally share information and engage with other team members, office workers and caregivers as they carry out their daily tasks.

These and other health informatics skills help individuals fulfill each aspect of the role.

Health informatics professionals can work in a wide variety of locations. Typically, they find employment with healthcare providers, but certain roles, especially those focused on technology, may be remote.

Professionals may work at a single healthcare facility, such as a hospital, outpatient clinic or nursing home. In other cases, they may work at a private medical research facility or healthcare system.

There are also opportunities to work for agencies or third-party businesses that provide IT services to healthcare organizations. Even government agencies employ health informatics professionals.  

Careers in health informatics 

For a career that combines information technology with high levels of personal service, a job that works with health informatics could be ideal.

Potential roles include:

• Health information management director: This role might include recruiting and training health informatics teams, organizing electronic patient and office records, and ensuring technologies align with goals for ensuring healthcare quality and efficiency.
• Health manager: Health managers typically organize, plan and direct health services at an entire facility, clinical department or medical practice. They typically ensure their workplace complies with laws and regulations, create work schedules and train new staff.

Health informatics salaries and outlook 

Careers in health informatics often offer competitive salaries, with entry-level positions often exceeding median wages in other healthcare fields. Health informatics salaries depend on several factors. These include the nature of the role, the employer, place of work, education history and degree level obtained and whether a candidate holds active certifications. 

As of May 2023, medical and health services managers earned between $67,900 and $216,750, with a median wage of $110,680, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

The salary ranges figures are not specific to students or graduates of University of Phoenix. Actual outcomes vary based on multiple factors, including prior work experience, geographic location and other factors specific to the individual. University of Phoenix does not guarantee employment, salary level or career advancement. BLS data is geographically based. Information for a specific state/city can be researched on the BLS website.

Employment for medical and health services managers is projected to grow by 29% from 2022 to 2032, according to BLS. This translates to an estimated 61,400 openings each year. As current medical and health service managers retire or transition into different roles, new managers will be needed to take their places. In addition, as IT processes and technologies develop and electronic health records are more widely used, the increased need for healthcare technology may result in even more health informatics positions.

BLS Occupational Employment Projections, 2022-2032 is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data reflects BLS’ projections of national (not local) conditions. These data points are not specific to University of Phoenix students or graduates.

Is a career in health informatics a good fit? 

For those interested in a career in healthcare that helps others and exercises a love for technology, health informatics is an option to consider, since it combines both. Before choosing a career in this field, it's important to do research. Get a good sense of which education programs to pursue, what skills to develop and how all of that can align to a career.

Is health informatics a good careerfit? Ultimately, finding the right career path sometimes requires trial and error. Try working with a counselor — or with your university’s career center — to identify potential employment opportunities that align with interests and aptitude.

Education for careers in health informatics

Want to learn more about careers in health informatics? University of Phoenix offers online programs in healthcare that include the following options:

• Undergraduate Health Information Systems Certificate
• Bachelor of Science in Health Administration
• Graduate Health Care Informatics Certificate

Contact University of Phoenix for more information.