Healthcare informatics - how do you start?

I've developed an interest in the field of healthcare informatics. It's a merging of healthcare and IT ....or should I say emerging? I'm about to graduate with an A.A.S. in I.T. and my school has offered a post graduation training program in Healthcare Information Technology (electronic healthcare records). It's hard to resist because it will only cost me $50 due to some kind of federal funding program.

Talk to me about CompTIA, ITIL, or Microsoft certs and I understand what value these certifications hold, but healthcare informatics is totally foreign. I'd like to hear from anyone on TechExams that is an RHIA or RHIT Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT)

How has this certification affected your career? What do you do in your workday? What kind of organization do you work for? What is your job title? And anything else you care to share.

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Comments

eMeS

I'm guessing that no one here holds any of these certs. I hadn't heard of them until you posted this.

I do quite a bit of work with various healthcare organizations, and I've yet to meet anyone with any of these certs. The one person that I know that is strongly involved in healthcare informatics has a Phd. from Rutgers.

That in an of itself says nothing about the worth or potential worth of these certs; perhaps I simply haven't crossed paths with the right people. However, I do know that healthcare informatics is a very academically-oriented field. Although the link you've posted looks legit, what tends to be valued in academically-oriented fields are advanced degrees and publishing power vs. certifications.

As with all things like this, the potential buyer should be very careful.

MS

ehnde

You're probably right - we're likely to not find any TE members that are involved in health care informatics. I have a relative that is an informatics analyst, but she came into her role initially as a nurse. She said she works with I.T. people....people like us, many with an A.S. or B.S. and certifications in things related to I.T.

It's an emerging field and I'm expecting it to become very important very quick. It's hard to say that with any authority, though. Guess you could say I'm trying to find my niche

N2IT

ehnde wrote: »

You're probably right - we're likely to not find any TE members that are involved in health care informatics. I have a relative that is an informatics analyst, but she came into her role initially as a nurse. She said she works with I.T. people....people like us, many with an A.S. or B.S. and certifications in things related to I.T.

It's an emerging field and I'm expecting it to become very important very quick. It's hard to say that with any authority, though. Guess you could say I'm trying to find my niche

My fiancee is about to graduate from nursing school with her BS. She brought home some graduate level documentation and one of the nursing master programs was HC data (I can't remember the whole title). I wonder if this is similiar to what you are speaking about.

I know the program mentioned data management with EHR's and other health care technologies.

VAHokie56

My last position was for a large health care provider and I know a girl from there HIM department, I think she is now getting into something similar. I will try and ask her about it and let you know.

Bokeh

I knew a nurse at a hospital when I lived in ID, and they were just starting to implement this program. Several of the nurses were interested, and their two IT folks were as well. I do believe it is going to be a growing field for sure.

tpatt100

I know I read a few different studies that a big part of increasing health care costs was administrative so this might be something good to get a head start on.

ehnde

I just signed up for a 6 month EHR program that leads to Practice workflow and information management redesign specialist. There is supposedly some national accreditation exam (currently exam is paid for through federal funding) but I don't know what the exam is called or what standards body is backing it.

Federal law (U.S.) requires everyone to have an electronic health record (EHR) by 2015. We can expect a surge in demand for health IT professionals because of this. If you are interested, you may want to check your local community college/university. Right now federal funding is paying for QUALIFIED people to do complete this training. If you're currently working in healthcare, or have an Associates degree, or are currently and IT pro you qualify.

I'd still like to hear from others on TE that are knowledgeable in this area, or that can provide further information to interested individuals

jmasterj206

I have worked in 2 hospitals in my career (currently in one now) and we do not have anyone with the above certs. We do have a nurse in our department that is more of the liason between the medical and information technology departments. We also have a physician that is a go to person for changes, etc.

Most places unless they are large systems do not build their EMR but buy from a vendor such as Epic, Cerner, CPSI, McKesson and a bunch of others. I know that Comptia is working on a HIPPA certification, but that is all that I have heard of this far. Also some hospitals do have Clinical Analysts that basically just support the clinical software.

If you want to get a job you probably would be better just getting experience, but for the price it is not a bad deal. It is all on what exactly you want to do.

N2IT

jmasterj206 wrote: »

I have worked in 2 hospitals in my career (currently in one now) and we do not have anyone with the above certs. We do have a nurse in our department that is more of the liason between the medical and information technology departments. We also have a physician that is a go to person for changes, etc.

Most places unless they are large systems do not build their EMR but buy from a vendor such as Epic, Cerner, CPSI, McKesson and a bunch of others. I know that Comptia is working on a HIPPA certification, but that is all that I have heard of this far. Also some hospitals do have Clinical Analysts that basically just support the clinical software.

If you want to get a job you probably would be better just getting experience, but for the price it is not a bad deal. It is all on what exactly you want to do.

As mentioned earlier most the clinical analyst aka business analyst are nurses with experience with in the health care environment. Barnes Jewish and Saint Louis University Hospitals have these positions opening up and provide master degrees to specialize in these.

Keep us posted on the certifcation.

ehnde

I have an answer now. The original question is how do you qualify/what does it mean to get the RHIT/RHIA certifications?

You need a CAHIIM (Welcome to CAHIIM) accredited degree - either A.S. or B.S. in Health Information Technology, Health Information Management, or something similar. This would qualify: Health Informatics Degree | Online Bachelor?s in Health Information Technology | WGU College of Health Online

The RHIT exam is a five hour exam. To maintain it you need continuing education hours (think CEUs). The program I'm beginning in May is a certificate (non-degree) program that might count towards credit in WGU's health informatics B.S. if I were to choose to go that route.

I'm not entirely sure of the job roles of an RHIT or RHIA, but I can tell you they work with electronic health care records to include medical supply inventory and electronic pharmacy records (and other related electronic records).

A quick google search shows an average annual salary of an RHIT at around 34 - 40K in the U.S. and an RHIA would expect to make somewhere in the ballpark of 40 - 75k.

jtoast

My wife is looking into that certification now as she works for a hospital and is in charge of installing and maintaining their EMR software. She is awaiting a reply to see if she can sit for the exam with just a BS:IT and several years of experience.

theitpro

any update so far?

Everyone

Look into EPIC, that is big in that arena. Also join HIMSS. I work at a Hospital, and our IT director signed up the entire department for it. It goes straight to my junk mail 'cause it doesn't interest me at all, but it means something to people in that field I guess. :P

Like some others have said, you don't see too many IT people that transition into that kind of role. It's usuall medical professionals that add some IT in. All of our HIM people are also RNs.

Speaking of EPIC, if you don't mind living in Verona Wisconsin, they seem to be hiring almost all the time. From what some of my coworkers that have driven up there for training have said, they have a really nice campus. Their certification requires you to spend some time at their campus too.

theitpro

What is HIMSS?

theitpro

Everyone wrote: »

Look into EPIC, that is big in that arena. Also join HIMSS. I work at a Hospital, and our IT director signed up the entire department for it. It goes straight to my junk mail 'cause it doesn't interest me at all, but it means something to people in that field I guess. :P

Like some others have said, you don't see too many IT people that transition into that kind of role. It's usuall medical professionals that add some IT in. All of our HIM people are also RNs.

Speaking of EPIC, if you don't mind living in Verona Wisconsin, they seem to be hiring almost all the time. From what some of my coworkers that have driven up there for training have said, they have a really nice campus. Their certification requires you to spend some time at their campus too.

How is the difficulty of the Epic exams?

Everyone

theitpro wrote: »

What is HIMSS?

Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society.

http://www.himss.org/

theitpro wrote: »

How is the difficulty of the Epic exams?

I have no idea. I try to stay away from all the medical systems as much as possible. I've had very little to do with our Epic project.

Our Linux/Cache guys seemed to think it was pretty easy. I think our Web/Sharepoint guy thought it was easy too. Our SQL/DBA and our Manager both failed their 1st attempt I think.

All of them spent a couple weeks up at Epic for training. Epic requires them to do it, they won't let anyone run their software without going through their training and getting at least credentialed or certified.

From what I understand "Credentialed" means you can work on Epic at 1 location, and you can't transfer it to another. "Certified" means you can work on Epic anywhere.

ehnde

I thought I'd post an update about that EHR program I mentioned when starting this thread. I started May 16th, but couldn't go through with it. My mind rebelled....I found it incredibly boring and had a total lack of interest.

Maybe it could have been interesting, but the curriculum was really uninspiring. I'm working full time in networking and intend to stay in this line of work, pursuing education and certifications relevant to my role.

Good luck to anyone getting into healthcare informatics, I wish you the best!

theitpro

I was going to to take the EPIC cert exams and training, just seeing how it's like....I have a background doing desktop support, trying something different...