What is health informatics?Health informatics, also known as medical informatics,

deals with the methods or devices that are used to acquire, store, retrieve, and use information in the health care industry. It includes computers, clinical guidelines, terminology, and information/communication systems.

A fully developed, nation-wide

electronic health informatics system

may save as many as 100,000 lives a year…

lost now due to medical errors, fraud, duplication and lack

of knowledge on best practices.

What is health informatics?Technology is a critical part of the health informatics field. It enables a health care provider to keep electronic medical records for billing, scheduling, and research… rather than

the hard copy record-keeping systems.

What is health informatics? Health informatics helps medical personnel make

healthcare decisions for patients by providing knowledge and support electronically.

What is health informatics?

Health informatics is a ‘means’ to exchange information. An electronic entry made by one

faction of the healthcare community can quickly and

accurately exchange information with other departments, agencies,

or even the patient.

What is health informatics?Part of the health informatics overall picture is a system of medical vocabulary that is universally recognized by

human beings and electronic devices. Medical vocabularies include names, terms, codes, abbreviations,

and other identifiers.

What is health informatics?The use of hand-held or portable devices to assist the healthcare provider with data entry or medical

decision–making is sometimes called ‘mHealth’, and is a developing technology in the health informatics field.

There are several sub-divisions of health informatics, each defining a different setting in which the information,

technology, and methods are used. The first is Clinical Informatics. It focuses on computer applications for all

types of medical data and knowledge that may be collected, organized, analyzed, stored , and used in a medical clinic.

Where are health informatics used?

Imaging Informatics, also known as

Radiology Informatics or

Medical Imaging Informatics, is

another sub-division of Health

Informatics.

It is the study of how information about and contained within medical images is retrieved, analyzed, enhanced, and exchanged within the radiology department and other

departments within the healthcare system. Digitalized images are widely used in the practices of cardiology, dermatology,

surgery, gastroenterology, obstetrics, oncology, gynecology, and pathology.

Where are health informatics used?

Consumer Health Informatics is a branch of health informatics that

has emerged as a method that helps patients and healthy

consumers use their computers and telecommunications to better

manage their own health decisions. Websites are

maintained with information that is accessible to consumers, in order to provide them with information about their conditions, keep their own personal health records by using internet tools, and involve them in the management of their

own health care.

Where are health informatics used?

Public Health Informatics emphasizes data about populations rather than

individuals. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC) provides national leadership and coordination with state or

county departments of health in collecting, storing, and analyzing

data such as: vital statistics (birth and death records); incidents of communicable diseases, child

immunization and lead screening information; evidence of biological

threats; and hospital capacity information to allow for planning of responses in case of emergencies.

Where are health informatics used?

Dental Informatics is the understanding, skills and tools that enable the sharing and use of information to promote oral

health and improve dental practice, research, education, and management. It encompasses electronic health records,

CAD/CAM technology, diagnostic digital imaging and administrative information for all dentistry disciplines.

Where are health informatics used?

Translational Research Informatics analyzes data and applies discoveries

generated during research in the laboratory and in pre-clinical studies, to the development of clinical trials and studies on human beings, their

tissues, specimens, cognitive abilities, or behaviors.

Where are health informatics used?

Clinical Research Informatics is the key instrument used to manage a clinical trial. It includes the theory and methods used to design, conduct and improve clinical research and

disseminate the information generated.

Where are health informatics used?

The goal of Bioinformatics is to increase our understanding of biological processes. It is the name given to the mathematical and computing approaches used to

understand biological and molecular biological processes. Common activities in bioinformatics include mapping and analyzing DNA and protein sequences, aligning different

DNA and protein sequences to compare them, and creating and viewing 3-D models of protein structures.

Where are health informatics used?

Veterinary Informatics applies computer science and

information technology to the health care of animals.

Where are health informatics used?

Pharmacy Informatics or pharmacoinformatics, is the application of computers to the storage, retrieval and

analysis of drug and prescription information. Pharmacy informaticists work with pharmacy information management systems that help the pharmacist make excellent decisions

about patient drug therapies with respect to, medical insurance records, drug interactions, as well as prescription

and patient information.

Where are health informatics used?

Common careers using health informatics…The administrative office assistant is sometimes

called a medical secretary or medical assistant.

Excellent verbal and non-verbal communication

skills are critical.

The administrative office assistant may serve in patient admissions or discharge, or as an office receptionist…

answering the phone, scheduling appointments, and even collecting deductibles and co-payments. They operate

computers, intercom systems, fax machines, photocopiers, and paging systems. Professional appearance and demeanor are important when working with clients.

Common careers using health informatics…The insurance OR billing and collections specialists must collect information from the

client’s medical and financial records, and file forms to insurance companies for

services provided. They must understand policy details and the difference

between the policy holder and dependent, a private insurance company, an HMO, Medicare and Medicaid, and TRICARE plans. They must read and understand an explanation of

benefits form (EOB) received back from the insurance company, bill the clients and/or collect the payment. They

must protect against insurance fraud… misrepresentation of facts in order to receive undeserved benefits.

Common careers using health informatics…The Health Information Technician or

Medical Coders analyze patient records for accuracy and completeness and

assign codes for each medical procedure performed. They assemble all forms in chronological order, and

perform data entry. The medical transcriptionist listens to

dictation from a physician or other health care provider about the patient’s assessment and treatment, and keys in exactly what they have heard to create a hard copy. They must

have excellent knowledge of medical terminology. These hard copies become part of the client’s permanent healthcare record.

Common careers using health informatics… The privacy officer of a

health care facility or insurance company must

keep their facility in compliance of rules in the federal Health Insurance

Portability and Accountability Act… HIPAA. They respect the patient’s

right to inspect, amend, and restrict access to protected

health information. They deal with confidentiality consent

forms. They train staff members in privacy issues.

Preparing for a career in health informatics in high school…

Business classes are important for most aspects of health

informatics. Learn keyboarding and software applications for data

entry and spreadsheets. Select courses appropriate for your area of

interest, such as accounting classes for billing and insurance

specialties, web design for consumer health, business

management for office workers and managers.

Math and science classes are important for digital imaging and research.

Anatomy & Physiology and Scientific Nutrition will help with medical terminology. English skills are needed for written and

verbal communication. Human Development helps with understanding human relationships, or ‘people skills’.