Online Master’s Degree in Health Care Informatics

Health care informatics is an interesting, unique career path for those who have a passion for both information technology and health care. An online Master’s Degree in Health Care Informatics combine computer science, medical training and information science to create a discipline specialized to hospitals, doctors offices and medical institutions. Students interested in an online health care informatics masters’ degree can pursue a variety of career paths as the health care field expands and changes, informatics specialists are increasingly in demand.

Online Master’s Degrees in Health Care Informatics Requirements

Online masters degrees in health care informatics attract students who have a unique combination of computer science, health care, and information technology experience. Students should have a passion for providing quality health care by ensuring strong database management, health care confidentiality, and accurate, up-to-date information. Those pursuing an online health care informatics master’s degree should have basic computer science skills, strong math skills, and some medical training.

Online masters in health care informatics usually require a bachelor’s degree before application. Common bachelor’s degrees held prior to pursuing an online master in health care informatics include:

• Bachelor of Nursing
• Bachelor of Science, Computer Science
• Bachelor of Science, Health Care Informatics
• Bachelor of Science, Information Science
• Bachelor of Science, Medical Coding

A background in computer science, nursing, and medical coding are often desired for applicants to online masters programs in health care informatics. Many students have prior experience in these areas, and concurrently work and participate in a degree program.

Online Health Care Informatics Master’s Degree Education

Good online master degree programs in health care informatics typically take between 2 to 3 years to complete. The types of health care informatics degrees offered by the best master’s programs online include:

• Master of Arts, Health Care Informatics
• Master of Science, Health Care Informatics
• Master of Arts, Health Care Informatics and Law

Information on Health Care Informatics Courses

Courses to earn an online master’s degree in health care informatics use math, science, medical, and computer science skills. Students pursuing an online master’s degree in health care informatics should have an aptitude in science, computer science and medicine. While students will likely specialize in a particular area of interest during their online health care informatics master’s degree program, basic courses are essential to developing needed skills. Required courses for an online master’s in health care informatics may include:

• Basic Health Care Informatics
  This course is designed to examine computer and electronic modalities that assist patient and client management.
• Management of E-HIM
  The focus of this course is on the advanced concepts of managing digital clinical information and other electronic storage media of information in health care facilities.
• Data Mining in Health Care
  This course examines the roles of information systems in supporting administrative and clinical decision-making in health care organizations.
• Applied Research
  This course involves a research-based project in delivery systems, health care policy and health care workforce challenges.
• Design and Adoption of Health Care Systems
  This course introduces planning, acquisition and implementation of systems and evaluating current systems.

Specializations and Concentrations

While basic courses in a top online health care informatics master’s program are required, students will also have an opportunity to specialize their studies. This allows focus their studies in an area of particular use to them, and explore issues they feel are particularly important. Health care informatics can be broken down into several categories:

• Health Care Administration
• Software Engineering, Health Care Informatics
• Data Mining
• Database Administration

Careers in Health Care Informatics

The field of health care informatics is a relatively new and unique program in the health care field. An online master’s degree in health care informatics provides students with the skill and experience to pursue interesting, fulfilling and lucrative positions within the health care field. From computer scientists to health care administration, informatics is an increasingly essential part of any health care administration.

Graduates of top online master’s programs in health care informatics may pursue the following career opportunities:

• Computer Scientist
  Computer scientists design and develop scientific software applications and hardware in a medical and scientific research environment. Computer scientists earn an average of $111,000 per year. Job growth in bioethical law is growing at a faster than average rate.
• Database Manager
  A database manager is responsible for working with database management systems software in order to determine the best possible way to organize and to store data. Database managers earn an average of $102,000 per year. Job growth is expected at a faster than average rate.
• Nursing Informatics Specialist
  Nurse informatics specialists deal with the support of nursing by information systems in delivery, documentation, administration and evaluation of patient care and prevention of diseases. Nursing
  informatics specialists earn an average of $87,000 per year. Job growth is expected at a faster than average rate.
• Clinical Informatics Educators
  The clinical informatics educator is responsible for assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating programming and services required to provide support for the patient care end-users including RNs and doctors. Clinical informatics educators earn an average of $67,000 per year. Job growth is expected at a faster than average rate.
• Clinical Informatics Analyst
  A clinical informatics analyst supports clinical care by providing up-to-date information and knowledge on patient issues and health. Clinical informatics analysts earn an average of $72,000 per year. Job growth is expected at a faster than average rate.

Health care informatics is a unique field, involving computer science, health care training and medical coding. This lucrative and fulfilling field is expanding rapidly with the ever-changing health care protocols. With a master’s degree in health care informatics from a top online university, graduates can look forward to a wide range of career possibilities.