HEALTH INFORMATICS

Health informatics includes careers involved in all aspects of managing health care agencies, patient data and information, financial information, and computer applications related to health care processes and procedures.

CAREER DETAILS

Description:
Apply knowledge of healthcare and information systems to assist in the design, development, and continued modification and analysis of computerized healthcare systems. Abstract, collect, and analyze treatment and followup information of patients. May educate staff and assist in problem solving to promote the implementation of the healthcare information system. May design, develop, test, and implement databases with complete history, diagnosis, treatment, and health status to help monitor diseases.

Tasks:

  • Assign the patient to diagnosis-related groups (DRGs), using appropriate computer software.
  • Compile medical care and census data for statistical reports on diseases treated, surgery performed, or use of hospital beds.
  • Design databases to support healthcare applications, ensuring security, performance and reliability.
  • Develop in-service educational materials.
  • Evaluate and recommend upgrades or improvements to existing computerized healthcare systems.

*Additional tasks may be needed for this career.

Average Salary:
$25,620 – $58,440

Description:
Perform secretarial duties using specific knowledge of medical terminology and hospital, clinic, or laboratory procedures. Duties may include scheduling appointments, billing patients, and compiling and recording medical charts, reports, and correspondence.

Tasks:

  • Answer telephones and direct calls to appropriate staff.
  • Schedule and confirm patient diagnostic appointments, surgeries, or medical consultations.
  • Operate office equipment, such as voice mail messaging systems, and use word processing, spreadsheet, or other software applications to prepare reports, invoices, financial statements, letters, case histories, or medical records.
  • Maintain medical records, technical library, or correspondence files.
  • Greet visitors, ascertain purpose of visit, and direct them to appropriate staff.

*Additional tasks may be needed for this career.

Average Salary:
$25,340 – $51,360

Description:
Transcribe medical reports recorded by physicians and other healthcare practitioners using various electronic devices, covering office visits, emergency room visits, diagnostic imaging studies, operations, chart reviews, and final summaries. Transcribe dictated reports and translate abbreviations into fully understandable form. Edit as necessary and return reports in either printed or electronic form for review and signature, or correction.

Tasks:

  • Take dictation using shorthand, a stenotype machine, or headsets and transcribing machines.
  • Return dictated reports in printed or electronic form for physician’s review, signature, and corrections and for inclusion in patients’ medical records.
  • Review and edit transcribed reports or dictated material for spelling, grammar, clarity, consistency, and proper medical terminology.
  • Transcribe dictation for a variety of medical reports, such as patient histories, physical examinations, emergency room visits, operations, chart reviews, consultation, or discharge summaries.
  • Distinguish between homonyms and recognize inconsistencies and mistakes in medical terms, referring to dictionaries, drug references, and other sources on anatomy, physiology, and medicine.

*Additional tasks may be needed for this career.

Average Salary:
$22,550 – $46,070

VIRGINIA WIZARD

Learn more about the careers above and others in this sector by visiting the Virginia Education Wizard.