2. Career Skills in Health Informatics
Chapter 2
Career Skills in Health Informatics

3. Warm-Up
When you think of careers in healthcare, which jobs first come to mind?
Which healthcare job or career path interests you most? Why?
What personality traits, interests, or skills do you have that make this job a good fit for you?
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4. What Is Health Informatics Services?
A career pathway that involves working with medical and healthcare information, including medical records, data, and statistics
Health informatics workers
Use information technology (IT) to acquire, store, retrieve, and use medical information
Use communications skills to maintain records and share medical information with others
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5. Critical Thinking
What personal traits and interests make someone a good fit for a career in health informatics services?
Organized
Detail-oriented
Good speller
Trustworthy
Positive attitude and professional appearance
Interest in working with computers and able to adapt quickly to changing technology
More interested in working with medical information than interacting directly with patients

6. Health Informatics Careers
Health informatics services includes three main career categories:

7. Health Information Management (HIM)
Workers assemble and organize patient information to create a medical record
A medical record includes:
medical history
family medical history
personal identifying information such as a Social Security number
Electronic medical records are stored on a computer database
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8. Health Information Technicians
Specialize in different areas of health information management
Medical coding specialists assign a numerical code to each diagnosis or procedure in a patient’s medical record. These codes are used to determine coverage by insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare.
Medical transcriptionists (now often called speech recognition editors) listen to audio recordings of patient care dictated by a physician and ensure that the information is written down accurately in the patient’s medical record.
Jobs require an associate’s degree and certification

9. Think Further
How has computer technology changed careers in health information management?
Medical records are now commonly stored electronically, on a computer database, so health information technicians must be adept at using computers or tablets.
Some jobs have changed completely; for example, voice-recognition software has changed the job of medical transcriptionists, who are now known as speech recognition editors.
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10. Technician Certifications
Technicians in HIM must take a test to become certified and continue taking classes to stay up-to-date.

11. Health Information Technology (HIT)
Workers maintain the computer hardware and software used to store and access health information
May design software and repair glitches
Trained in computer science and hold a bachelor’s degree
HIT careers include: data analyst, systems analyst, clinical information system specialist
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12. Health Informatics (HI)
New field that combines health information management and technology (HIM and HIT)
Health informaticists develop information systems and study electronic health data to improve patient care
Requires knowledge of computer science, data science, and healthcare or business
Bachelor’s or master’s degree required
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13. Health Informatics Fields
Health informatics students can choose from four areas of research
Medical informatics: physician research
Nursing informatics: clinical research
Public health informatics: systems to track diseases and threats to public health
Applied informatics: the movement of data in an electronic environment

14. Critical Thinking
Compare and contrast the fields of HIM, HIT, and HI. How are they similar? How are they different?
All three fields deal with medical and healthcare data and information.
HIM focuses on the information in the medical record, while HIT focuses on developing and maintaining the technology used to store and access medical records. HI combines both fields.
Workers in each field require a different level of education and expertise.

15. Careers Related to Health Informatics
Some related careers that involve health information also allow for more patient interaction
Medical assistants handle records and information but also assist with patient care
Health educators share health information with patients, students, and the public
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16. Tasks of a Medical Assistant
A medical assistant’s job combines informatics and patient care.

17. Teamwork in the Medical Office
An interdisciplinary healthcare team includes members from different health science backgrounds.
Team members work together toward a common goal for the patient.
Each team member must know his or her role.
Effective team members remain positive in spite of personal differences.
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18. Think Further
Imagine a problem that might occur if a medical team member does not understand his or her role. How might you solve this problem?
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19. Technical Skills in Health Informatics
Writing
Letters
Memos
Forms
Filing
Scheduling
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20. Technical Writing A necessary skill for all healthcare professionals
Writing must be concise, clear, and logical
Documents must have a professional appearance

21. Letters and Memos Business letters Memos
formal correspondence sent to people outside your organization (patients, insurance companies, other clinics)
Memos
sent to others within your organization and can be shorter and more personal in tone

22. Forms All forms become part of a patient’s medical record
Speak privately with the patient to clarify information
Fill in all spaces
Use Ø, N/A, or None if a question does not apply
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23. Tips for Medical Forms
Use abbreviations: S = Single; M = Married; W = Widowed; D = Divorced; l and w = living and well; d = died (d. 1987)
Family history includes current and past health conditions or diseases for a patient’s parents, grandparents, and siblings
Present illness or current complaint: describes patient’s symptoms
Responsible party: the person paying for the medical services
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24. Think Further
Why is it important to protect information in a patient’s medical record?
Patients have the right to keep health information private and confidential.
Information such as a person’s Social Security number could be used for identity theft.
What are some important steps workers must take to protect patient confidentiality?
Avoid sharing computer passwords
Close screens containing patient data
Do not leave papers in a fax machine
Know who is entitled to receive information
Provide only facts and not judgments

25. Filing Organization systems Alphabetically by last name
Numerically by a 6-digit number assigned to each patient
Geographically by location, such as state or city
Chronologically by dates, such as years or months
By subject, such as personnel files, inventory records, or accounts payable
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26. Alphabetic Filing Tips

27. Scheduling When scheduling an appointment
get the patient’s full name, phone number, and reason for the visit
ask the patient’s preferred appointment time
provide a reminder card if the patient is in the office
When a patient calls to cancel an appointment
remain polite and positive
ask the reason and note it in the patient’s chart
offer to reschedule
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28. Employability Skills
Skills you need to get and keep a job, change jobs, and advance your career
Use career assessments to determine the best career for you based on your personality type.
Create a career portfolio containing an introductory letter or essay highlighting your skills and personality, a résumé, letters of recommendation, and other records.
Join a student association such as HOSA for professional development opportunities.
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