A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

Can someone explain to me exactly what health informatics is? - sm

Posted: May 09, 2012

I keep seeing health informatics jobs and a lot of my former MT co-workers are going back to school for this. Ok so my stupid question is, what exactly is this?

here's some reading from the net on the subject - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
The health informatics industry is a broad field where information technology shapes the way the health-care industry looks at patient care. People in this field access information regarding health issues and treatment and then provide support in medical decisions. There are a number of careers in the health informatics field that combine data analysis with medical knowledge and information technology to provide new functions and elements inside a hospital, clinic or doctor's office.
â�¢ What Is a Health Informatics Professional?
1. Chief Information Officer
o A chief information officer provides expertise and guidance inside the information technology department in a health-care facility. For this position, an individual is responsible for overseeing the needs of a medical facility as well as providing effective advice in using information technology in a medical setting. The position includes providing input in the design of an effective clinical information system, engaging doctors, nurses and nursing staff in using the clinical information system, as well as developing strategies in making the information systems more beneficial to patient care by reviewing informatics trends in the medical industry. A chief information officer will also participate in clinical activities; for example, making sure patients are in a comfortable clinical setting, observing clinical research, as well as reviewing plans pertaining to patients' records and files. Chief information officers also work closely with information technology specialists to guarantee that the proper clinical requirements are being translated into the clinical and research sectors of the health-care information system.
Clinical Informaticist
o Clinical informaticists give accurate information in data analysis for employees inside a hospital or research facility. This position also provides guidance in medical treatments. Clinical informaticists provide health-care employees with data analysis for specific projects and meetings. This position is usually a part of a research team or Medical Management team at a hospital. Previous experience in this field would typically require being a nurse, radiologist or a lab technician.
Informatics Research Assistant
o Informatics research assistants are assistants to a research team inside a health-care facility. They help collect data information, analyze essential information in order to complete an important project, and develop a close working relationship between the department's lead researcher and the research team. To obtain information, informatics research assistants conduct interviews and gather information from people who agreed to be a part of the organization's project. Since interviewing is an important part of this position, assistants have to possess excellent communication skills as well as having the ability to work with others inside and outside their departments. Having basic computer skills is also a plus---the majority of the information that assistants gather is entered into the health-care computer system.
Information Security Officer
o An information security officer protects all information generated inside a hospital or clinic. The security officer ensures files will not be destroyed, maneuvered, mismanaged or retrieved by other organizations or facilities within the company's region. This includes patient and employee files, copies of hospital budgets, medical research, billing information or any highly classified information that is obtainable through the facility. Information security officers provide the proper procedures to ensure that all files are secure and that only certain employees, including executives and authorized administrators, have access to open important documents.
Nursing Informatics Specialist
o Nursing informatics specialists work with informatics technicians to present effective clinical information and service for patients in a hospital or clinic. A nursing informatics specialist facilitates the information and knowledge needed to give support to patients, nurses and other support staff in acquiring effective decisions in their roles within the health-care industry. The role of a nursing informatics specialist is similar to a project manager, in which she has to develop specific plans that will fulfill a health-care facility's objective or goal. This includes defining the goals of the project, obtaining the resources needed to make the project successful, as well as setting a timeline to complete the project. The nursing informatics specialist will also act as a team leader to find the best treatment selections and research options for patients who are in dire need. To achieve most of the duties of a nursing informatics specialist, the individual will work closely with the patient's doctor, technicians or other nurses to find the best solutions available for the patient's care.

Similar Messages:

Aug 24, 2011

I am getting out of MT and looking into the Health Informatics program. I have a 2 year degree in HIT, but my problem is I don't know where to look for a bachelor's degree in Healthcare Informatics. When I research online I find only master's degrees in informatics or other universities require you to have an RN degree or IT degree. I saw someone post here that they were getting their bachelor's degree in Informatics but cannot find that post. Anyone k ...

Apr 30, 2012

Just curious if anyone knows about the Health Informatics 4-year degree that WGU offers? I want to change careers to healthcare IT and have been looking into this program. Thanks ...

Feb 22, 2013

I am learning that this most complicated business of healthcare, in going tech, is trying to basically 'get rid of humans' (what a lecturer actually said) involved in the process of the EHR. he talked about free text being part of mistakes and cost, and to me that means probably reducing or eliminating altogether dictation and rather having templates that a provider will just fill in or check off - or have someone do it, but not an MT. this is just my opinion now, but think about it. ...

Aug 19, 2011

None of the colleges in an hour's radius of me offer this program. Can this be done online and if so, has anybody done it? ...

Jun 03, 2014

Is there anyone here who has gotten the B.S. in Health Inforamatics at Western Governor's University? Or is there anyone who is currently going to WGU to get this degree? If so, can you tell me about the program, how you like it, etc? The only thing that holds me back is the pass/fail grading system and transferring credits to other schools. ...

Mar 11, 2010

They did get back to me and have gotten the ball rolling on my hiring now, so, hoping soon to get started with them. I just got a little worried when I had sent in some personal info and then didnt hear anything, but we're getting it done now. I'm lookin forward to it and hoping all will go well. ...

Aug 23, 2012

I have my AA in HIT and have my RHIT and I'm looking at the WGU program to get my RHIA. Has anyone taken or in this program? I see that this program has a lot of computer courses and computer certifications. I'm kind of worried about that part as I've never been good with computers and have a hard time retaining computer knowledge. Any experience with this program? ...

Oct 21, 2009

Has anyone heard anything about or work for Focus Informatics? If so are they a good company to work for? Thanks ...

Jan 30, 2014

I am thinking about going into health informatics. I've been looking at the program through WGU. Through their program, you complete your CCA credential before graduation. You would also qualify for your RHIA certification when you graduate. They state that a CCS or CCA credential will satisfy the coding courses in the program. Would it be better to do the coding portion of the informatics degree through a program that prepares you to pass the CCS and CPC (like Andrews) or would you know ad ...

Jan 14, 2010

Wondering if anyone has applied recently to Focus. A couple of months ago I had tested and went through that whole process successfully when the recruiter sent me an email with the minimum computer requirements; operating system 32 bit, XP or VISTA, 1 GB RAM, 1 GHZ processor, etc. It was the 32-bit system that was the killer (mine was larger). When I went to see about purchasing said computer, I could not find one as a 32-bit is an older out-of-date system. Then I checked out E-Bay, ema ...

Mar 05, 2010

besides Freddie Martins' number? His is the only number I have and I have emailed him a couple of times and called one time, but no response back yet. I was hired with Focus and supposed to be starting hopefully the 9th, but I have not gotten a response from sending in my I-9 form or the other forms they were supposed to send me. Was thinking maybe something unexpected happened with Freddie for him to be out and may need to contact someone else for now? But no contac ...

May 04, 2010

tell me how that works? I know the insurance premiums are less than a regular health plan. If your company puts 500 in your account, does that mean the first few times, for example, until you use up the 500, you don't pay ANYTHING or is it the opposite...you pay the entire office visit cost until you reach that 500? I would be so grateful for any information about this type of plan. TIA ...

May 10, 2010

I can file my nails while my screens change and the voice document loads. Does anyone share this problem. I have a dual core processor with 1.86 Ghz. Thanks! ...

Jan 19, 2010

If an account has been offshore for almost 1 year and is being transcribed by an offshore MT and qa'd by 2 separate offshore qa and then 1 American qa.......where are they actually saving money? How long does the Q need to pay 4+ (the person who audits them too) to do 1 report before they realize their American MTs could get it done in 1 shot and maybe 2 on occasion? TATs are out because of this and there are so many NJA issues spoken of on this site too, WAKE UP Q! ...

Jun 01, 2010

For weeks and weeks there have been NJA. I sit here hours and hours checking every 5 minutes. I was just reprimanded that I have not met my hours and my PTO will be used. This asounds me as I am willing to work but not to sit in front of a computer for hours and hours trying to get work only to get my PTO taken away. I live in NJ and am hoping there is something I can do. My CCM is great and tries to help but she is after her own behind which I cannot bl ...

Jun 06, 2010

GLIDE wire and GUIDE wire? i would greatly appreciate it!! thanking you in advance. ...

Sep 05, 2010

in normal human speak? I consider myself a very fast learner. Normally I have to only be shown something once to get it, but that???? I watched it twice and I still have NO IDEA what she was talking about with check marks and preferred headings and HUH?!?!?!?!?!? I start work in 1/2 hour. My first shift on 6.1 (assuming I have work) and I have no idea what is going on! Why do they have to keep messing with everything? ...

Feb 26, 2012

Okay, so if you go below mininum wage, the company has to "pay extra" to bring your paycheck up to minimum wage, because BY LAW they have to pay at least minimum wage. But somehow, when they decide to ONLY pay us for "active typing" "hands on keyboard" and NOT for our research (verification of correct terminology, spelling of names, etc) and our documenation (of errors, questions, blanks)...aren't we entitled to have THAT time spent "made up to us," to bring us up to a FAIR PAYCHECK? I gu ...

Apr 18, 2012

No work right now on my account, but they want committments for Friday-Sunday to keep TAT. What is a non-MUP/MUP? Says they can work OT. ...

Sep 08, 2012

What counts against us and what does not count against us. They are trying to say that a ï»¿ï»¿legitimate blank does not count against us and speakers that are on autopend are not to count against us either. However, what do they mean by a legitimate blank. I blank if I can't understand/hear what is being said or a ï»¿discrepancy in the dictation. However, my account is on a 2 blank restriction...each dictation 2 more or blanks has to be pended for blanks.&n ...

Nov 07, 2012

just got in a debate with someone on Facebook and I know better than to do that, but he says MModal had no choice but to offshore because they were backed into a corner by government and hey we all benefit when companies play to their stockholders because we all have retirement plans. Right? I guess there are 2 sides to every story but I think MModal did have a choice, and I don't have a retirement plan. Your thoughts? ...

Dec 06, 2012

"dictation marker" is? In applying for a new job this came up in the job description and I don't want to sound like an idiot for not knowing :-) ...

Oct 17, 2013

Why is it that I can only work 28 hours as a part timer, but full time people are able to get OT, no limit. I don't take insurance, don't want it, but there is no darn reason I can't work as many hours as I want also. This is ridiculous. Why would the company pay OT to someone when I have 12 hours I could be working at regular pay. What the??? ...

Jul 06, 2014

I log in for my shift this morning, there is work from 11 o'clock last night, I start typing my butt off, get to about 2 AM and the work disappears to be replaced by ASR jobs from 11 last night. I start typing on them, get to about midnight, then all jobs disappear and I have been sitting here now for about an your with NO jobs. ...

Apr 28, 2015

why you need overtime/extra time on an account that has zero, 0, nil, notta, none, no jobs??? AND the account has had no jobs for several hours now?? Really?? ...

Jan 06, 2010

I was working tonight. Just me and someone else on the system on my primary account, like always. The only difference was 67 reports (double the amount) when there is usually around 30 reports every night on the primary account. I worked for 2 hours. Got off for an hour and came back on and NOTHING. I did not get my primary. How strange? I go back and look at my primary account and it shows 12 reports are left out of 67 reports in one hour ago. I ...

Jan 09, 2010

I'm exceedingly confused. What I understood by reading the sites, kindly posted by our moderator and others, we will be contacted. By whom? Is MQ a participant because they are in one of the states listed? (Ohio). If my state (Arizona) is not one of the states listed does that mean I'm not eligible for the benefits? Not trying to be obtuse--I definitely need SOMEthing to happen, since I'm making less than half of what I was before QA was eliminated ...

Jul 19, 2010

a phone call earlier from MQ with a job offer. This is from where I applied FOUR years ago and then pulled my application because I was offered something better. This lady calls me today and tells me how there is such an abundance of work, I can pick any shift that I want, no weekends and a really decent CPL. Thankfully I am extremely happy where I am so I very politely declined the position and thought that I would come here and see how things are going. WOW, what a shoc ...

Aug 14, 2010

I have looked for step-by-step instructions online and cannot find them... any help would be appreciated. If I want ALT G to delete word left, how would I do that? I see the "record" button when I go to "add new item to dictionary" screen, but I can't figure out how to get ALT G in there. Thank you! ...

Oct 20, 2010

Is Nuance an actual transcription company to work for? I see they are buying up a lot of places - does that mean those places are all run/pay the same? Like if I applied to OSI, would they be the same as Focus? Do you apply to each company separately or can you apply to "Nuance." Thanks. ...