Bachelors in Health Administration Programs
Think about the massive amount of data collected and transmitted in a hospital during any 24-hour period. Patients’ diagnoses, medical histories, identifying information, contact information, and treatment data are just some of the types of data switching hands in a healthcare setting.
What can I do with a degree in Health Informatics?
If this information is not handled appropriately, it can easily fall into the wrong hands. For example, paparazzi are notorious for trying to trick healthcare workers into revealing information on a celebrity’s care or condition.
This is one of the reasons that health informatics is one of the most important specialties in healthcare. An experienced informatics department can save a hospital huge amounts of money in fines and lawsuits, give patients confidence that their information is being protected, and provide healthcare researchers with the data they need to discover trends and make important changes to the industry.
With a Bachelor’s degree, you can apply for certification as a Registered Health Information Administrator (AHIMA, 2015). In addition to lower-level positions that require an Associate’s degree, you may also be able to apply for high-level informatics and management positions at different facilities with your Bachelor’s.
Health informatics is a complex field that is always adapting to new regulations, information, and technology. A Bachelor’s in healthcare informatics can give you the knowledge you need to be at the forefront of these changes. Learn more by requesting information from health informatics programs below.
What Do Health Informatics Bachelor’s Degree Programs Entail?
A Bachelor’s in health informatics is meant to address many goals. It develops your general education and critical thinking skills while putting you through a curriculum of low-level and high-level informatics courses.
To earn a Bachelor’s degree, you must complete at least 120 credits. However, each school sets their own graduation requirements, so you may well have to complete more credits to graduate. If you attend school full-time, you may be able to graduate in approximately four years.
School costs at this level differ widely based on your location, your financial need, and whether you attend a public institution or a private institution. Public colleges may charge as little as $6,000 per year in tuition, while tuition at private colleges may exceed $30,000 per year. This is why it’s important to check into multiple schools to find the one that best meets your needs.
Working in this field requires you to take on a great deal of responsibility and display initiative. The courses in your curriculum should reflect that. While earning your four-year degree, you may take courses like Healthcare Reimbursement, Ethical Considerations in Health Information Management, Coding and Classification Systems, and Healthcare Data Management.
The AHIMA Foundation is one of the most well-known sources of financial aid for health informatics students. The scholarships they award to students working towards Bachelor’s in health informatics degrees are worth $1500 each.
What Can I Do With a Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Informatics?
After you complete your Bachelor’s degree, you can go through the testing process to become a Registered Health Information Administrator. With that credential behind your name, you may apply for diverse job titles like health statistician, clinical data manager, and compliance coordinator.
Across the United States, the job outlook is bright for clinical data managers. A 27% increase in job openings is expected through 2022 (O*Net, 2015). On average, clinical data managers earn $79,990 per year (O*Net, 2015).
At this level of education, you may become involved in projects that change the face of healthcare. Healthcare information managers have revolutionized diabetes care by collecting and analyzing massive amounts of data, developing technology for patients, and collaborating with care providers (MHealth, 2015).
With a Bachelor’s degree, you can explore prestigious positions at many different types of medical facilities. Contact Bachelor’s in health informatics programs today to take the first step.