Top Healthcare Informatics Career Paths for 2021

Career opportunities for individuals with a healthcare informatics degree will be on the rise in the coming years. As such, the BLS anticipates that job openings for health information technicians and record-keepers will increase by around 8% between the year 2021 to 2029. It represents about 29,000 new job openings across the entire USA. During these eight years, job opportunities for other professions will be around 4% only.

So, why are people who hold a degree in healthcare informatics in such high demand these days? Several forces contribute to such a bright career outlook, including an aging population and rapidly evolving medical systems and technologies- Not to mention the broader availability of medical insurance coverage due to the ACA's (Affordable Care Act's) introduction. Also, such a field incorporates two hot disciplines, healthcare, and technology, combining skills like coding, systems management, and organizational analyses. In some cases, the career opportunities available to a healthcare informatics degree holder may not always be that obvious. Today, we will share a list of promising jobs open to individuals with a healthcare informatics degree while also discussing each job's salary prospects and responsibilities.

1. Healthcare Informatics Specialist

A healthcare informatics specialist bridges the gap between information technology and clinical practice. They help determine the type of technology a medical practitioner should use to achieve their objectives and improve patient outcomes. Such tech-savvy healthcare professionals also train other IT individuals, create manuals, liaise between vendors, buy medical equipment, and much more. Finally, they also offer administrative support, troubleshoot problems related to IT systems, and remain on top of any development and trends in the healthcare technology world.

The salary of a healthcare informatics specialist depends on experience, location, and numerous other factors. However, according to PayScale, it can range from 50,000 to 78,000 dollars per year on average. Not surprisingly, when these professionals progress in their careers by completing online healthcare degrees or on-the-job training, they will receive a much better salary.

2. Clinical Informatics Manager

These managers work at the managerial level and usually have the responsibility to implement healthcare informatics systems. They ensure that a medical facility adopts technology smoothly, periodically assessing the requirements and using their analyses to modify or develop customized IT-based solutions. Clinical informatics managers also train medical personnel so they can use such customized IT systems more efficiently.

As with other healthcare informatics roles, the pay will always depend on the candidate's level of experience, education, and employer. By illustration, PayScale stated that a clinical informatics manager's average salary ranges from 94,549 dollars to 105,000 dollars per year on average.

3. Clinical Informatics Data Analyst

It is a clinical informatics data analyst's job to work with the clinical informatics manager's IT systems and complete various tasks related to data storage, acquisition,

and its use. More specifically, they have to assess data acquisition methods in a clinical setting. At the same time, also find out how to document, map, and analyze such data. Furthermore, they also perform quality assurance tests, ensuring data integration and documentation go as smoothly as possible while maintaining strict rules and regulations.

Information from PayScale suggests that a clinical informatics data analyst's average salary can range from 58,000 dollars to 82,000 dollars per year. However, those working who already have more than ten years of experience in such a field can enjoy salaries in the six figures.

4. Medical Coding Specialist

It is a medical coding specialist's job to translate data given to them by healthcare professionals into alphanumeric form to ensure accurate record-keeping, especially in the EHR systems. They utilize medical coding for various activities like treatments, procedures, and diagnoses vital for patients, insurers, and other medical professionals. They must also have a broad understanding of different diagnosis types. They must remain consistent with using coding programs, ensuring the information entered into the EHR system is as accurate as possible.

According to a poll by Indeed, a medical coding specialist's salary can range anywhere from 37,000 dollars to 49,000 dollars per year on average. However, these professionals can give their wages a nice bump by acquiring different certifications, such as getting certified as a medical coding specialist via the American Health Information Management Association.

5. Nurse Informatics Specialist

These medical professionals incorporate communication technologies with the nursing field in a tiny package. They work on developing IT systems and have expertise in different areas, including academia, healthcare settings, and even private businesses. They help evaluates and sometimes implement EHR systems for clinical analytics acquisition. Also, these nurse informatics specialists help train other nurses to stay up-to-date with IT systems and adapt to one's present inside the medical facility.

According to a Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society's survey, nearly 50% of people working in this job position earned a six-figure wage. However, according to PayScale, recent information suggests that the average salary ranges from 79,000 dollars to 102,000 dollars per year. To work as a nurse informatics specialist, you firstly need to acquire a bachelor's degree in the nursing field. You then have to follow it up by obtaining training or education in informatics or computer science. The journey to a nurse informatics specialist's position may be a long one. It is indeed one of the most highest-paying healthcare informatics-related jobs out there.

Conclusion

Listed above are only a few career paths available for a healthcare informatics degree holder. While there may be an overlap of duties between informatics professionals and other medical staff, one thing will always remain constant. People who stay up-to-date with the latest medical techniques and technology will always have never-ending career options available to them in the future.