Health Informatics is a field with incredible growth potential. Health informatics career opportunities are expected to expand significantly in the coming decade. Students of the Master’s in Health Informatics program have the opportunity to find high-earning management and leadership positions within the industry.
Health informatics professionals are currently in high demand within hospitals, government agencies and even software development companies. Job titles include chief medical information officer, health IT consultant, clinical data analyst, nurse informaticist and more.
With a Master’s in Health Informatics, students can launch successful, lucrative and exciting careers in a fast-growing field. As technological innovations and the health care industry continue to evolve, health informatics career opportunities will continue to expand for professionals with the right experience and training.
Health Informatics practice often is motivated by the need to create innovative solutions that enhance the quality and safety of patient care while managing costs, promoting the advancement of public health and population health, and supporting biomedical research and population data.
Potential careers include those in computer science, information technology, clinical, health care, data analytics, decision sciences, information systems, database management, organizational leadership and other key areas.
Demand for implementation specialists and clinical informatics managers is high. Job openings for medical and health services managers are expected to grow by 20% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The estimated total growth of 56,300 positions exceeds the availability of skilled professionals. Part of the reason for this increased demand is that the United States government set a 2015 deadline by which health care facilities must be paperless, in effect handing all medical data over to health informatics professionals.
Pursuing your online Master of Health Informatics from UC can help prepare you for continually emerging opportunities, as well as increased earning potential. A 2012 study by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) showed professionals with a master’s degree in the health information field made an average of $20,123 per year more than those holding just a bachelor’s degree. The median annual wage for medical and health services managers was $96,540.
Constantly evolving regulations and technologies allow for lifelong learning and continued professional development. As health care advances, health information provides the patient data needed to successfully navigate the changes. As a result, health information professionals can expect to be in high demand as the health sector continues to expand. Demand is on the rise at all levels of education and credentialing.
The follow information about health informatics salaries for five common health informatics job titles is provided by the Monster.com.
Informatics nurse
Informatics nurses are responsible for bridging the gap between clinical health care and information technology. In a career as a health informatics nurse, you will evaluate health care facility operations to determine what clinical IT applications will help increase efficiency. Responsibilities may include training staff and on all new systems; ensuring all users are up to date on the latest technology; facilitating communication between IT, vendors and the staff regarding clinical IT applications. Education and experience: In order to become an informatics nurse, you will need at least a bachelor’s degree in nursing, but some roles might require a master’s degree.
Health informatics nurse salaries: Average $75,518; range $58,049 to $98,831 per year.
Health informatics specialist
Health informatics specialists have a similar role to that of an informatics nurse, but you will work more closely with the implementation of technology in a health care setting. In a career as a health informatics specialist, you may be responsible for training staff on systems and procedures in addition to troubleshooting and assisting staff when problems arise. Health informatics specialists must stay up to date on the latest compliance and regulatory standards. Education and experience: Requirements vary from high school diploma and experience with technology to master’s degree in health informatics, computer science or related field.
Health informatics specialist salaries: Average $61,141; range $40,760 to $91,021 per year.
Clinical informatics specialist
Clinical informatics specialists work with the systems used to digitalize medical records. In a career as a clinical informatics specialist, you will be responsible for creating processes and improving procedures as well as documenting them for the staff; and overseeing the ongoing transition of paper documents to digital systems. Education and experience: bachelor’s or master’s degree in nursing, a registered nurse licensure and several years of experience in clinical setting; registered nurse credentials and licensure; plus experience in a clinical setting.
Clinical informatics specialist salaries: Average $74,013; range $49,888 to $103,820 per year.
Clinical analyst
Clinical analysts are responsible for closely evaluating data to help improve workflow and a health care facility’s overall clinical information systems. In a career as a health informatics clinical analyst, your responsibilities may include creating the database systems for a health care facility. Since health IT requires handling sensitive data, clinical analyst must strike a balance between efficiency and federal regulatory standards. Education and experience: Requirements range from a bachelor’s degree in life science, social science or a related discipline to a master’s degree for higher-level positions. Background in health care and technology experience is also needed.
Clinical analyst salaries: Average $66,795; range $47,207 to $91,961 per year.
Clinical informatics manager
Clinical informatics managers are responsible for overseeing daily operations of clinical information systems at a health care facility. In a career as a clinical informatics manager, you will manage and train staff, monitor budgets, direct staff and ensure all systems are in compliance with state, federal and professional regulatory standards. Education and experience: Bachelor’s to master’s degree; experience in health informatics or nursing informatics.
Clinical informatics manager salaries: Average $90,106; range $61,742 to $125,830 per year.
Sources: “5 Health Care Informatics Jobs and Salaries,” Monster.com; salary data, Payscale.com
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