Health informatics is a discipline that manages patient information via clinical information and clinical decision support systems and clinical databases. This specialty discipline encompasses various niche areas, such as public health informatics, consumer health informatics, clinical research informatics and clinical informatics.

If you’re passionate about healthcare and interested in information technology (IT), there are plenty of career options that might appeal to you. One such career path to explore is health informatics, which exists at the intersection of healthcare and IT. 

Healthcare informatics is the blending of computer science, data science, data analytics and health information management with healthcare. From remotely monitored pacemakers to virtual reality simulations in medical schools, the healthcare field embraces digital technologies, with healthcare informatics at the leading edge of this trend.

One of the main examples of healthcare informatics is electronic health records (EHRs). In the past, healthcare providers kept track of patient information and medical charts using paper files. However, this system was slow, and it hindered efforts to share information with providers in other offices.

Today, healthcare providers have switched to EHRs, which digitize patient information. An EHR can contain much more information than a patient’s medical history. These digital health records can be updated in real time to include details about the patient’s immunizations, treatment plans, medications, lab results and medical images. This not only facilitates greater collaboration among providers but also allows patients easier access to information, giving them greater control over their own healthcare.

What is health informatics like in terms of specialization options? Many subspecialties comprise the health informatics field. They include:

• Public health informatics: This subspecialty focuses on preventive wellness and data science to protect entire communities from diseases, injuries and other medical problems. These professionals use information technology to facilitate public health research, track health trends and overcome public health challenges with data-driven decisions.
• Clinical informatics: Also known as healthcare informatics, this subspecialty primarily focuses on the management of EHRs, clinical decision support systems, health information exchange and data analytics used in clinical settings. Because all patient information must be kept strictly confidential, those who specialize in clinical informatics are experts in data security. Some professionals choose to specialize further — for example, by focusing on pharmacy or pathology.
• Nursing informatics: Nurses who specialize in informatics can use technology and data collection to improve patient care, safety and health outcomes. They can also use informatics to improve the efficiency of nursing workflows.
• Health data analytics: Health data analytics experts can collect and analyze very large data sets, including patient records. The goal is to identify trends and develop insights that may then be put into practice to improve patient outcomes.

Healthcare informatics is a broad field, and different organizations may use different job titles for the same role.

The following are some examples of roles informatics professionals may pursue within the field:

• Health informatics specialist: A health informatics specialist may have a wide range of responsibilities, from implementing and managing digital systems to analyzing health data and managing databases. They might also train healthcare staff on using new technology, accessing and managing data and protecting the security of sensitive information.
• Clinical data analyst: These professionals are experts in analyzing clinical health data. Seeking to optimize patient care, they use their findings to recommend changes to their organization’s procedures and practices. For instance, a clinical data analyst might work to reduce hospital readmission rates among surgery patients.
• Health IT project manager: Health IT project managers are responsible for overseeing health IT-related projects throughout the project lifecycle. This is an ideal role for people who are adept at focusing on both the larger picture and the smaller details of a project.
• Nursing informatics specialist: A nursing informatics specialist is typically a registered nurse (RN) who combines knowledge of nursing science with information technology competencies to manage EHRs, analyze health data and improve both patient outcomes and workflow efficiency.

Now that you’re familiar with health informatics jobs, consider whether pursuing an informatics degree could be a good fit for you. Some indicators that healthcare informatics may align with your goals include:

Interest in Healthcare Technology

When you earn a healthcare informatics degree, you will have the opportunity to learn how to integrate information technology with healthcare. As a result, you may support continuous improvement in patient care systems, quality assessment and healthcare system operations using innovative technology.

Passion for Improving Patient Outcomes

If you’re eager to pursue a career that enables you to improve patients’ health, then health informatics may be right for you. Information technology in the healthcare field may be used to increase access to care and improve the quality of healthcare services provided for patients.

For example, healthcare informatics can enable healthcare providers to quickly check a patient’s current medications before prescribing new ones. Not only does this protect the safety of patients, but it also reduces the potential for medical mistakes. If you want to make a positive impact in patients’ lives, this may be the right career track for you.

Transitioning Your Healthcare Career

If you’re already working at an entry-level role in healthcare that doesn’t involve informatics and you’re interested in transitioning to a role that isn’t patient-facing, then transitioning to health information management could be a good choice. You’ll be able to have an impact on patient care and healthcare delivery, but you’ll be working behind the scenes to improve quality and efficiency.

If you’re interested in studying health informatics in college, look for a degree that focuses on healthcare technology and health information management. A degree that explores public health competencies is also relevant, as public health involves the collection and analysis of health data.

If you study public health in college, you can expect to explore topics such as:

• The promotion of preventive wellness through health literacy and community advocacy
• The impact of environmental health issues, including workplace health, emergency preparedness and organizational policies
• The application of technology to manage health data systems, including surveillance data, disease registries and geographic information systems

Alternatively, you might decide to focus on health information management. You’ll examine data science, health information and computer science. Specifically, you might take a look at the following:

• Database structures, development and maintenance
• Quality assurance in healthcare
• Legal, ethical and regulatory principles of data governance
• Diagnostic classification systems

You may wish to earn a master’s degree in healthcare informatics if you’re interested in exploring advanced topics in the field and emerging trends and challenges. The principles and best practices taught in your courses may be immediately applicable in your daily work, which might help you become more effective at your tasks.

A master’s in health informatics can also help you position yourself for possible advanced roles in your field. Some employers prefer to have highly credentialed informatics professionals handle complex projects and lead teams. Additionally, you may find that having a master’s degree may bolster your professional credibility.^{(See disclaimer 1)}

In a master’s program, you can generally expect to study the following topics:

• The fundamentals of information technology as it applies to the healthcare field
• The implementation, optimization and assessment of health information systems, including electronic health records, with an emphasis on security protocols for patient confidentiality
• The application of data analytics to the healthcare field using databases with an eye toward specific organizational objectives

Registered nurses who want to specialize in optimizing electronic health records (EHRs) and clinical decision support systems should explore GCU's tailored MSN: Nursing Informatics degree.

You can explore the intersection of information technology and healthcare at Grand Canyon University. Apply today for enrollment in the Bachelor of Science in Public Health degree or the Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management program.