BS in Health Informatics

Students who have earned a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in health informatics use technology to improve the quality of healthcare services as well as make cost-cutting recommendations, thereby freeing up funding for more programs. Graduates of the health informatics degree program use their knowledge of electronic information system management and security, data integrity and patient record regulations to work in hospitals, nursing homes, private practices, clinics and other healthcare-related facilities. Students who have a BS in health informatics can work as health information managers, clinical data analysts, health information systems trainer, information systems directors and more.

Requirements for Earning a BS in Health Informatics

Requirements to become a health informatics professional can vary by state. Successful students generally complete the following steps:

Earn proper bachelor’s degree (requirements vary by state). A BS in health informatics is the minimum education requirement for health information managers.
Earn proper master’s degree (requirements vary by state). Master’s degree graduates can work at the supervisorial/administrative level in health informatics.
Earn credentials. Health informatics students can go on to take the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) certification exam to become a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA).

Average Salary and Career Data

The expected salary, career growth, and work environment for a health informatics professional might include:

Health Information Manager – Median expected salary: $27-730 – $71,936, according to Payscale.com’s most recent report.
Job Prospects – Employment is expected to grow faster than average because health informatics professionals will continue to be needed to oversee the computerization of patient medical records, according to The Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Job Setting – Health information managers find employment in hospitals, private practices, home healthcare services, nursing care facilities as well as in outpatient care.

Job Duties and Responsibilities for a Health Informaticist

A health informatics professional is typically responsible for the following job responsibilities:

Implementing information systems needed for patient care initiatives.
Organizing computerized patient records for use in the collection and analysis of patient data.
Establishing informatics policies and procedures to help health care facilities run smoothly and efficiently.
Ensuring the security and integrity of digitized patient information.