
How IT and Healthcare Combine in Growing Career Fields
Posted By Staff Writer on September 21, 2015
Are you looking for a doubly rewarding career?
Healthcare and information technology are growing fields with increasing overlap. This is a great time to see how an education in these fields can provide you with new job opportunities.
Whether you're a prospective student looking to start a career, an IT professional seeking stable and meaningful work, or a healthcare professional exploring a new option in your field, find out if healthcare and IT is a good fit for you.
What is driving IT and healthcare growth?
- New laws and emerging technologies are making IT skills increasingly important in the healthcare field.
- Installing, maintaining, and using traditional IT applications is critical in the healthcare setting.
- Jobs in the health IT field may grow faster than the average rate through 2022, predicts the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Digital records
Imagine this: A hospital patient has a drug allergy. Allergy information is recorded in the patient's electronic chart, which all doctors and nurses consult before prescribing and administering medications. But what if something goes wrong with the system that manages patient charts? If the allergy does not show up when a new doctor is assigned, that patient could be put at serious risk. Healthcare providers require up-to-date, accurate, and always-accessible patient data. This is why the people designing and maintaining digital medical records are becoming just as important as doctors and nurses delivering care. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that demand for medical records and health information technicians will grow 22% between 2012 and 2022.Emerging technology
Accurate and easy-to-access information is critical in every healthcare interaction. People who manage billing and coordinate patient information across different systems also require reliable, efficient platforms. They need to answer patients' questions with confidence. These are the type of questions IT professionals might answer:- Where will patient information be stored?
- How secure is my personal data?
- How quickly will it be available?
Job highlight: information manager
For new students or students changing their career direction, informatics and information management are promising fields. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that job demand for health information managers will grow 23% from 2012 to 2022. As an information manager, you may find yourself organizing electronic health information available to patients and clinicians, analyzing healthcare trends and costs, delivering patient education, automating traditionally manual tasks, and identifying ways to improve your organization's systems.Finding relevant training
An IT professional may need healthcare training in order to take advantage of the growing market for IT jobs in medical and health related organizations. Great areas to look are data collection, security (patient confidentiality is critical, after all), maintaining software and hardware infrastructure, and managing networks that involve medical equipment and devices. Some healthcare degrees to consider are:- Health information management (BS)*
- Healthcare informatics (MS)*
- Healthcare administration (BS)
- Medical specialties (AOS)
- Computer technology & networking (AAS)*
- Computer science (BS)*
- Health information management (BS)*
- Information systems (MS)*