Health informatics is a field that combines the science of information with different levels of healthcare.

Professionals in this field work to improve healthcare provider communication, increase the quality of patient experience, and make healthcare and its costs more efficient. If you’re not already hooked, here are 10 reasons why you should consider this career path:

1. You get to explore different fields.

Health informatics includes a lot of different disciplines that all incorporate many types of sciences. Information science, social science, computer science, and management science are all in the scope of health informatics, falling under such categories as healthcare informatics and human bioinformatics. All, of course, center around the main purpose of studying information, making it also perfect for those who may be reluctant to leave the studying atmosphere of a classroom.

2. There is a lot of room for salary growth.

Different levels of management positions in the health informatics fields have salaries that range from $80,000 to $200,000, providing a lot of opportunity for rewarded upward mobility.

3. Healthcare is largely public spending.

Health informatics streamlines and makes more efficient the entire healthcare process, so work in this important field has a great effect on many people outside of what you may even consider.

4. Health informatics (and its different specialties) has many accessible degree options.

The best way to start your career toward health informatics? Major in it. A simple
Google search reveals pages of different online schooling options to pursue both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Beyond such programs, some of the nation’s top schools have added highly specialized departments for the field – the University of Michigan and the University of Illinois-Chicago are among schools that have recently added these departments.

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5. You can use clinical knowledge.

Many interested in healthcare fields start with a desire to actually treat patients. Well, clinical informaticists combine the science of information with a knowledge or understanding of clinicians to better patient care and healthcare communication. Aka, you are able to be involved in patient care without attending medical or nursing school.

6. It’s a quickly emerging field.

Not only does the growth of this field mean more opportunities for specialized education programs, but also – and more importantly – it means more jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 18-percent growth of jobs in this field by 2016, and 22-percent growth by 2022, a rate far faster than average.

7. Your work stays current.

Healthcare is always on the table for discussion – it’s hardly a topic that is about to lose steam. And health informatics doesn’t just work within current policy outlines, it actually shapes them. The research that these informaticists do is essential to the development of policies, laws and plans.

8. Health informatics has expanded to global prominence.

All over the world, health informatics is a blossoming field. Europe, Asia and Oceania all work within the field to develop their government healthcare programs, providing opportunities for potential candidates to work internationally.

9. You’ll work with cutting-edge technology.

Work in the field capitalizes on technology such as wearable medical devices that include watches, eye glasses and necklaces to monitor ECG, pulse and heart rate. These technological breakthroughs revolutionize the information available to these information-studies, allowing for more holistic knowledge of patients, medical conditions, and the healthcare process in general.