Healthcare and information technology are two very different fields. But the digital age has paved the way for careers suitable for healthcare professionals who understand and have expertise in both areas.
What is Healthcare IT and Why is it Important?
Healthcare IT or Health IT (Information Technology) is a field that focuses on the development, design, and use of information systems in the healthcare industry. It is a specialization of information technology that specializes in the medical/health industry. It improves day-to-day operations by providing daily services to healthcare providers and helps increase customer and patient satisfaction efficiency by having automated information systems
Having an automated system for the healthcare industry is essential. Aside from making daily tasks more accessible, this provides better patient management by having a secure sharing of health information between medical staff and their patients.
Healthcare IT provides the following assistance:
- Having complete and accurate information on the patient’s health status.
- Having the ability to get synchronized information on the care needed to be given, especially for those who have severe medical conditions.
- Sharing information with the patient and their family to decide on the best possible course regarding their medical needs.
- Immediately diagnose health problems and reduce medical errors.
Healthcare IT mainly provides electronic methods to further manage information for the healthcare industry, which includes:
- Teleconsult
- Health applications
- Electronic prescriptions
- Personal Health Records (PHR)
- Electronic Health Records (EHR)
- Electronic Medical Records (EMR)
Careers are Available in Health IT?
With all the critical functions and benefits of health IT, jobs in this field are in demand. Especially in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, electronic systems are very much needed. In addition, patients appreciate contactless transactions as a precautionary measure of their health safety.
Here are career opportunities available to help you grow in the this industry:
Health Information Technician
Being a Health Information Technician entails ensuring the data storage is secure and correct and that all information is organized when medical professionals access the database.
Medical Coder
Medical coders are coding specialists who assist in insurance claims for HMOs, which work closely with the billing department.
Health Services Administrator
Health Services Administrators are in charge of keeping an eye on the healthcare facility’s operations and use information technology to organize procedures and services needed for the daily operations.
Systems Analyst
Systems Analyst mainly oversees the facility’s computer system by ensuring it is well-maintained and checking for possible improvements to better cater to its clients/patients.
Programmer Analyst
Programmer Analysts develop systems for storing and managing information like patient records or appointment schedules for smoother daily operations.
These are a few of the available careers in the Healthcare IT industry. With science and technology evolving, along with the rise of the medical field’s demand, jobs in this field will become more advantageous and popular among healthcare professionals.
- Career Opportunities in Healthcare IT - September 1, 2022