There has been a lot of interest in the way that technology can enhance the medical field. Indeed, medicine can be enhanced greatly with the help of technology. The idea that medical and health information can be better managed with the help of technology is often referred to as informatics. There are different areas of informatics, however. Not all health informatics careers follow the same paths.

Some of the differences you might see when it comes to informatics are those that illustrate the difference between nursing informatics and medical informatics. While the two are related, they are not exactly the same. Understanding the difference can help you choose a career path in informatics that suits you.

Medical Informatics

Medical informatics represents more of an umbrella term for the management of health and medical information. Nursing informatics is one area of the wider field of medical informatics. Nursing informatics applies just to specific functions of nursing, but medical informatics applies to various fields, including pharmacy, biomedical applications, public health, dentistry and clinical care, as well as nursing.

Medical informatics represents the way that computer science, information science and health care merge together to work toward optimization of the medical system. Medical informatics allows health care professionals to better access information and analyze it. The idea is to use technology to streamline different aspects of medicine and health, and create a better picture of what needs to be done for patients. Medical informatics creates an information architecture that is easier to access, and provides patients and their health care providers with a more comprehensive picture.

Medical informatics seeks to integrate medical records with what is going on right now. Additionally, the idea is to help send information more widely — and uniformly. Medical informatics, with its architecture, makes it possible to update medical records in real time, providing electronic records that can be accessed easily. Allowing patient information to be easily shared amongst different physicians and members of a health care team.

It is also possible to combine biological information with computer science and information technology. Medical informatics makes it possible for machines to connect with each other, meaning that heart monitors and other vital monitors transmit real time information. Images from MRIs and X-rays can be shared instantly, with no need to go to the lab. Lab results can also be conveyed quickly, to health care providers in any part of the hospital or clinic. Medical informatics creates a system that lets information flow freely, and is accessible quickly.

Another aspect of medical informatics is the use of mobile devices to help enhance patient care. This includes mobile phones, tablet PCs and mobile medical stations. Doctors, nurses, lab techs and other health care professionals are able to interact with each other quickly and easily with the help of mobile devices. Medical informatics makes it possible to get information so that decisions can be made at the point of need, with the patient, more quickly. Diagnostic tools are part of the mobile medical informatics architecture.

Nursing Informatics

The main point of nursing informatics is to use technology to enhance patient care and nursing practice. Nursing informatics is a narrower, specialized field inside of the wider medical informatics. Nursing informatics represents the way that nurses utilize technology in their daily duties. This includes using the latest developments to help make nursing more modern and efficient — while still providing excellent personalized patient care. Indeed, with nursing informatics, it is often easier to give the proper individualized patient care because the vital statistics that nurses need are often right at their fingertips.

Nursing informatics is a way of keeping patient information properly organized. Technologies, including tablet computers and mobile devices, can help nurses keep up with what they need. Integrated systems allow nurses to make notes that everyone can access, meaning that each change of shift runs smoothly, and time isn’t taken up with trying to convey information. All nurses have the information immediately. Nursing informatics can also help with dosing instructions, staff assignments, and lab results. The idea is that technology and information should be easily accessible to nurses so that they can do a better job of caring for their patients.

Another function of nursing informatics is to help create care plans. Using biometric data, by monitoring patients with special devices that send signals to nurse technology devices, it is possible to create care plans and tweak them as necessary. Nursing informatics makes use of the information coordinated by technology to help nurses make better decisions. With the help of technology, changes to care plans are immediately viewable to other nurses and members of the care team, and it makes it easier to track the progress of patients.

Nursing informatics is the use of information and technology specifically to help nurses more effectively do their jobs.

Choosing a Career in Health Informatics

Since medical informatics is more of an umbrella term, it is often important to specialize in an area, learning how to apply informatics in a way that will help you in your duties within a specific specialty. A general knowledge of medical informatics can help, and then you need to consider your interests as you determine your next step. You can get a degree in health informatics and then specialize latter. There are a number of quality programs that can help you obtain a Master’s degree in health informatics, and progress in melding medicine with technology and information.

Nursing informatics can be rewarding, since nurses often derive pleasure from being able to provide excellent care. If you choose a career in nursing informatics, you usually have to be a Registered Nurse, and have a nursing degree. With this sort of specialized knowledge, you will be better equipped to help develop policies and procedures using technology that will enhance your nursing abilities.

No matter what you choose, though, understanding the way technology can help increase the accuracy and efficiency of medicine and health care is becoming essential. Some training in health informatics is required if you want to provide the best patient care possible.

Top Online Master's in Healthcare Informatics Programs

Health informatics is the study of how technology, particularly artificial intelligence, computer science, and informational science relates to the medical field. This field of study is typically applied to clinical care, nursing, public health, and biomedical research. Numerous colleges offer online master's degree programs in this subject.

MS in Health Informatics BSN to MSN - Informatics RN to MSN - Informatics	Walden University — Students studying in Walden's health informatics master's degree program will learn the basic skills required to use advanced technology in the healthcare industry, specifically applying health informatics to improve the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses. Walden also offers two MSN programs in informatics: an RN-MSN track and a BSN-MSN track.
MHA in Informatics MSN in Informatics	University of Phoenix — America's largest online university, the University of Phoenix, offers a Master of Health Administration in health informatics degree that provides students with knowledge of the concepts of systems life cycles, data management, and health informatics. Graduates of this program will be well suited for a career as a medical technologist or other upper-level healthcare professional. For students looking for a nursing-focused informatics degree, Phoenix offers an MSN in informatics program.
MS in Health Informatics MS in Bioinformatics MS/IT - Informatics	University of Maryland University College — The University of Maryland University College offers a MS in health administration informatics degree that is designed to educate mid-career professionals seeking a graduate-level degree that combines healthcare administration with health information technology. Other options include the MS in bioinformatics and the MS in information technology with a specialization in informatics. A student can earn his/her degree in these programs upon completion of five graduate-level courses.
MS in Health Info Mgmt	Creighton University — Creighton's MS in healthcare information technology management online degree program prepares IT professionals for today's complex healthcare business environment. Students of this program learn management skills and business technology needed to advance their careers into health IT or health informatics leadership.
MS in Health Info Mgmt	Capella University — Capella's MS in health information management degree program is a masters-level program geared toward teaching students about how databases, information systems, data analysis, strategic management, and essential IT and business topics integrate with the healthcare industry.
MS in Health Informatics	Brandeis University — The Brandeis University master's program in health and medical Informatics is designed to educate students on the application of principles of computer and information science to the organization, analysis, management, and use of information in the health care system. Graduates are prepared to facilitate the advancement of emerging information technologies into the health care setting.
MS in Health Informatics	St. Joseph's University — The Master of Science degree in health administration informatics from St. Joseph's University is sure to prepare its students for successful careers in the field of health administration. Specifically, this degree trains students in the areas of information technology, information systems, and patient data collecting and storage, as they pertain to the healthcare industry.
MS in Health Informatics	University of Illinois at Chicago — Within the Master of Science in health informatics online degree program from UIC, students learn how to analyze, select, and implement health care information technologies in a wide variety of different healthcare environments. Graduates of this program are well prepared to undertake mid- to upper-level management positions in the healthcare industry.
MBA in Healthcare Mgmt	Northeastern University — The MBA in healthcare management degree program offered by Northeastern University is geared toward healthcare professionals wanting to expand their current roles with more business education. Students of this program will gain basic knowledge of business enterprise as well as a deeper knowledge of the healthcare specialization.
MS in Medical Informatics	Northwestern University — Northwestern's 13-unit MS in medical informatics program is designed to enhance the skills of clinical health professionals and IT professionals in the healthcare field. Graduates will be ready to advance their careers as leaders in clinical IT and healthcare administration.
MS in Health Informatics MHA/MS in Informatics	University of Missouri — The master's degree program in health informatics from the University of Missouri is designed for working healthcare industry professionals who seek more expertise in integrating technical, clinical, and managerial competencies in their careers. Specifically, students of this program will learn the essentials of how advanced information technology applies to healthcare. This program is also offered as an MS/MHA dual degree.
MBA in Healthcare Admin MBA in Information Systems	Ashford University — The MBA in healthcare administration from Ashford consists of 33 credit hours and the online coursework is one of the most acccelrated available. Students of this program will be prepared with professional confidence, project management skills, and leadership abilities and will be ready to take on most any upper-level management job in the healthcare world. Another option to consider is Ashford's MBA in information systems.
MBA in Healthcare Mgmt	American InterContinental University — The MBA in healthcare management degree program from American InterContinental University prepares students for upper-level management positions in a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, health insurance organizations, pharmaceutical companies, health consultation firms, and more. This program can be completed within 10 months.
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