You may be familiar with electronic health records, but do you know they are the building blocks of health informatics within a health care system? At its core, health informatics uses information technology to track, test, maintain, and analyze health data. What this means for patients — and the larger world of health care — is a huge pool of data from which to pull information. This means health care can rapidly improve, adapt, and learn in ways it never has before. As a bonus, patients reap the benefits of more expedient health care, data at their fingertips, and a bounty of information.
Read on for an insider’s look at health informatics. Let’s get started by taking a deep dive into discovering exactly what is health informatics, followed by the different types, and the skills required for health informatics.
What Is Health Informatics?
There’s no better place to start than with a strong foundation — that is, a definition of answering, “What is health informatics?” According to the National Library of Medicine: “Health informatics is the interprofessional field that studies and pursues the effective uses of biomedical data, information, and knowledge for scientific inquiry, problem-solving, decision making, motivated by efforts to improve human health. In other words, it is the science of information where the information is defined as data with meaning.” Health informatics harmonizes technology, data, and professionals to help improve health care delivery and shape its future.
Breaking this definition of health informatics down further, the National Library of Medicine points out that the specialty of clinical informatics is of special concern within health informatics as it blends medical practice with information technologies and behavioral management principles. The field aims to improve patient outcomes and medical research, as well as advance health care. Of important note, per the Library: “The key to these goals is the understanding that the successful evolution of health care is determined not by technical capability, but by how effectively the technology is designed and integrated into existing cultures, regulatory frameworks, and institutional workflows.”
What Do Health Informatics Specialists Do?
If you decide to pursue a career in health informatics, you might be wondering how you can apply the practice in the professional, medical world. Let’s take a closer look at what health informatics specialists do in the field. According to Betterteam, those practicing health informatics, particularly health informatics specialists, can expect to take on responsibilities such as:
- Data gathering: Part of health informatics includes conducting interviews with health care professionals and patients to gather firsthand information about their needs, challenges, and experiences with the current health care system. Interviews may extend to observations of health care services and settings such as hospitals and health care systems. The goal is to understand the current state of health care delivery and identify areas for improvement. Collecting data from electronic health records (EHRs) and other sources, such as claims data and patient surveys, is central to the role of health informatics specialists. The goal is to gather quantitative data that can be used to measure the performance of the health care system and identify trends.
- Data analysis and improvement: Health informatics specialists rely on statistical and other analytical techniques to make sense of the collected data. The goal is to identify areas where the health care system is performing well and areas where there is room for improvement. The next step of the process from here is to design and implement new health information systems that can help to improve the quality and efficiency of health care delivery. These systems can be used to collect, store, analyze, and share health care data, as well as to support clinical decision-making and patient engagement.
- Collaboration and implementation: Working with health care professionals, policymakers, and other stakeholders to develop and implement new standards of care, policies, and procedures that can improve the quality of health care is a significant part of what working in health informatics entails, per Betterteam, as is providing training to health care staff on how to use and manage new health information systems effectively. This training is essential for ensuring the systems are used correctly and have a positive impact on health care delivery.
- Technical support and compliance: Health care staff rely on technical systems, support, and maintenance. Health care informatics specialists ensure the systems are up and running and are meeting the needs of users. They will sometimes need to implement measures to protect the security and privacy of health care data, which is central to protecting patient information. Ensuring the accuracy and integrity of health care data stored in databases means the data everyone is working with is reliable and can be used to make informed decisions about health care delivery. Lastly, compliance in health care information management regulations involves applicable regulations related to the management of health care information. Having well-maintained systems and data helps to avoid any legal penalties and protects the privacy of patients.
- Documentation and reporting: Documenting the processes involved in the collection, analysis, and use of health care data is essential for ensuring work is done consistently and can be replicated by others. Finally, preparing reports that summarize the findings of data analysis and recommend improvements to the health care system helps health care informatics specialists in communicating the results of the work to stakeholders and securing funding for future initiatives.
- Continuous learning: This involves staying up to date on the latest advancements in the field of health informatics. It is essential to ensure the organization is using state-of-the-art technology and techniques in collecting and understanding health care data.
What Are the Different Types of Health Informatics?
According to the American Medical Informatics Association, there are five major types of health informatics, each with its own subspecialties:
- Translational bioinformatics
- Clinical research informatics
- Clinical informatics
- Consumer health informatics
- Public health informatics
What Are the Required Skills of Health Informatics?
Career expertise site Zippia reported some of the most common skills for those pursuing a career in health informatics include electronic medical records (EMR), patient care, analytical skills, data analysis and collection, coding languages, communication skills, interpersonal skills, and more.
Overview: What Is Health Informatics?
Health informatics is a fascinating field comprising technologies, health care, and technology professionals, and a vast amount of data. All of them must work synchronously to improve the delivery and future of health care. This is just a glimpse into the fascinating world of health informatics. As technology rapidly evolves, the possibilities for improving health care are endless. By working together, technology, practitioners, and patients can create a truly transformative experience for the future of health care. What lies ahead for health informatics is bright, with continuous advancements in technology and a growing awareness of its potential. As data becomes more integrated into health care, health informaticists will play an increasingly important role in ensuring a healthier future for all.
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