Online Healthcare Information Systems Degrees
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Working in the field of healthcare information systems means meticulously maintaining a patient's healthcare records and ensuring that confidential information is securely kept. To begin a career in healthcare information systems, most students graduate with an associate degree and work as healthcare information technicians.
When patients visit the doctor's office, they expect to have an accurate file reflecting their medical history, but they probably don't think about how that information got there. That's where healthcare information systems come into play. Those in healthcare information systems must have tremendous attention to detail because they are responsible for maintaining, updating, and securing all of a patient's healthcare information. And because of the modernization of these records, they must also possess proficiency with use of complex computer systems to store the data.
Due to the specific skill set that is required to work in the field, entry-level healthcare information technicians often possess associate degrees that have given them the hands-on training they need to do their complex job. They are also frequently certified by one of several governing bodies. Those who specialize in healthcare information systems work in a variety of different environments -- anywhere medical records are kept. That means they can work for federal or state government agencies, large hospitals, or even small private offices of individual physicians.
Featured Accredited Schools Offering Online Healthcare Information Systems Degrees
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Learn more about Kaplan University - Healthcare Programs
What are some of the specializations within this degree program?
- Health Information Technician: Technicians organize and manage all forms of healthcare data, placing them into a system that is both easy to access by professionals, and secure and private for the patient.
- Coding Specialist: These specialists have expertise in coding the patient's medical information so that it is easily translatable to the national Medicare and Medicaid systems.
- Health Information Manager: Managers oversee the maintenance and security of all patient records and ensure that the healthcare provider is meeting all legal requirements with regard to records.
What degree levels are available?
- Associate Degree: 2 years to complete
- Bachelor's Degree: 4 years to complete
- Master's Degree: 1-2 years to complete
- Doctoral Degree: 3-5 years to complete
What are the educational and certification requirements?
There are several different degrees available to students who are interested in working in the field of healthcare information systems. Each degree carries with it a varying level of responsibility, and in turn varying salary and benefit figures. It's important to ensure that the degree-granting school is accredited by one of several bodies who also certifies students in healthcare information systems.
An associate degree in healthcare information systems is offered by many junior and community colleges, as well as traditional four-year schools. These programs introduce students to a wide variety of information regarding the healthcare field, such as medical terminology and anatomy. They also learn specifics regarding billing, coding, and computer systems that they will be required to know in a real work environment. Graduates typically go on to become healthcare information technicians.
A bachelor's degree in healthcare information systems allows a student to move up more quickly in the world of healthcare information systems. They may begin in a similar job to someone with an associate degree, but because of the broader skill set they've acquired, they will be able to move into more managerial roles with job experience instead of requiring further education. These degrees give students the specifics of the healthcare information world, as well as larger concepts of business and management. If you were to become a healthcare information manager straight out of school, then a master's degree is the one that you would pursue. A master's in business administration, health services administration, public health, or other related degrees, are the standard for managerial jobs in the industry.
Most employers prefer to hire technicians who have been certified in healthcare information. These certifications generally have two components. First, the student must have a two-year degree in the field. Second, they must pass a written examination given by the credentialing body. There are also certifications available to those in managerial roles, but they are significantly less important to their job prospects and career advancement. (BLS)
What kinds of classes will I be expected to take?
Healthcare information systems master's programs, also known as medical and health informatics degrees, are designed to teach students the skills to manage health information and technology in complex medical environments. Graduates of these programs will be able to engineer solutions to information management issues, and to see that sensitive data is kept accurately and securely in traditional and electronic formats. To teach these skills, healthcare information systems master's programs contain courses in general management, health information technology, healthcare policy, and general information systems.
Since healthcare information systems graduates will be expected to be leaders who take the initiative to fix information management problems, students must take administrative classes like Operations Management in Health Care and Executive Leadership in Health Care. In these types of courses, students learn how to improve quality in healthcare systems by applying managerial theory and how to cultivate the attitude and decision-making abilities of a leader.
Other courses cover the concepts of health information management, and the way information systems are structured. The foundational class Health Information Systems discusses the design, implementation, and use of these tools in different healthcare environments. Classes in healthcare policy, like Healthcare and Ethics or the U.S. Healthcare System, provide context for the use of health information systems, and how the external environment can affect how care is obtained inside a healthcare facility.
If I pursue this program online, will I be required to complete any on-site training?
Usually, yes. Healthcare information systems managers perform a crucial and sensitive role inside the healthcare facility, and most professionals will need hands-on experience before they can be hired. Online programs usually place students in internships or externships in their local community so that they don't miss out on this experiential learning.
What are some other degrees that are related to this program?
Students more interested in the general management of healthcare facilities should look into a degree program in healthcare administration, which does not focus solely on information systems. On the other end of the spectrum, general information technology management programs prepare graduates for careers as computer systems managers in areas outside of healthcare.
There are also several general management programs available, which have some overlap in coursework with the healthcare information systems program. The master's in business administration provides practical managerial and organizational strategies, while the master's in project management is more designed for consultants or other individuals who will be working mainly on large, complex projects.
If you're more excited by the prospect of using IT systems to actually solve biological problems, rather than to simply manage information, then a program in bioinformatics may be better suited to your interests.
