Health informatics is an evolving specialization that links
information technology, communications and healthcare to improve the quality
and safety of patient care. Health
Informatics is "the interdisciplinary study of the design, development,
adoption and application of IT-based innovations in healthcare services
delivery, management and planning.
Though the concept of health IT includes the use of
technology in the healthcare field, health informatics is not synonymous with
health IT. Instead, informatics is “the science, the how and why, behind health
IT,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Health informatics applies informatics concepts, theories,
and practices to real-life situations to achieve better health outcomes. This includes
collecting, storing, analyzing, and presenting data in a digital format.
The tremendous growth in the health informatics field was
spurred in large part by the acceleration of electronic health record (EHR)
adoption brought about by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’
“meaningful use” incentive program.
As providers move quickly to embrace EHRs, which are
designed to store and share information from all providers involved in a
patient’s care, health informatics specialists will continue to be in high
demand as healthcare facilities implement new systems, upgrade existing
databases and work toward achieving the three stages of “meaningful use.”
CareerBuilder.com ranks health informatics as the No. 1 job
opportunity in an emerging industry. According to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, employment of health information specialists is projected to grow
22 percent through 2022, far faster than the average growth for all occupations
in the U.S.
Job titles in this industry include medical records and health
information technicians and health information clerk.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hsrinfo/informatics.html
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