You may have an ongoing interest in healthcare and also have a knack for technology. One way to combine these two attributes is in the discipline of health informatics. This area of study combines data collection and analysis with healthcare and is a growing field. Applicants with a Masters of Science in Health Informatics or MSHI are highly valued in the marketplace. They fill a variety of positions in clinical settings, consulting firms, pharmaceutical companies and more.
Healthcare Is Changing
The healthcare sector is changing rapidly for a variety of reasons. It is a growing industry with new advances in medical science and innovative medications to treat a host of ailments. In addition, the government proposals to regulate and deliver healthcare require prompt organization and facilitated access to data. Finally, the increasing demand that medical records be available in digital form requires more technological sophistication in the area of healthcare. For these reasons, a degree in health informatics is a key to success in the healthcare sector.
Careers in Health Informatics
Many people who decide to earn degrees in health informatics already have medical degrees and may work in a clinical setting, but they want to make the transition into administrative positions. If you obtain your MSHI degree from Adelphi or another institution of higher learning, you can supplement your knowledge and experience in the medical field with technological and business studies that will allow you to deal with organizational matters in a health facility. A large number of students who enroll in the program at Adelphi or elsewhere do not have a medical background and are aiming to use their technical knowledge to deliver care to patients across a variety of platforms.
With a degree in health informatics, you may work in a hospital or nursing home and provide information doctors and nurses need to make decisions on delivering care. You may be able to make these decisions yourself and advise others if your MSHI degree is a supplement to the medical degree. Health informatics graduates may also work at medical consulting firms to give counsel to administrators on how best to use their resources and deliver care. They may make suggestions about cutting costs and making operations more efficient. Health informatics professionals may also provide essential data to executives at pharmaceutical companies or may assist with research.
Applying for an MSHI
An MSHI will expand your career opportunities and will enhance your earning power. Many people decide to apply for the master’s degree after spending a number of years working in the healthcare field, while others may want to apply right after earning a bachelor’s degree. The advantage of an MSHI degree is that it can be earned online while you work at your regular job. If you do not have a background in healthcare, technology or data analysis, you may need to take prerequisite courses prior to beginning your studies toward an MSHI. You should also see if you need to take standardized exams such as the GMAT or the GRE. The requirements tend to vary from program to program.
