Considering a Career in Healthcare Information Technology?

Portions adapted from: Hersher and Hodges, Career Success in Healthcare Information Systems, HIMSS: 2002

Achieving success in healthcare information technology, like most professions, can be defined by your ability to take advantage of opportunities that will allow you to manage your own career growth. The job market is expanding, offering a wide range of opportunities for enterprising and prepared career-oriented candidates. Professionals are now more driven by growth, challenge and a positive corporate culture. Healthcare information technology professionals pursue opportunities that allow them to face new challenges, grow and learn.

These are exciting times for information systems professionals in the healthcare industry. Not only are there innumerable options and career paths from which to choose, IS professionals are in unprecedented demand. Often, the choices are overwhelming and confusing, but by identifying long-term goals and creating a solid career plan, the right career decisions can be made and a fulfilling and rewarding career can be enjoyed. One of the key reasons that IS has a strong strategic position is that many mission--critical issues have joint strategic and IS components such as: e-commerce, e-health, HIPPA, POE, security/privacy, clinical redesign, and continuum of care. Not surprisingly, there are many new positions needed in IS, opening up huge opportunities.

The product and outcomes in healthcare are the patients. IT has moved to the front burner as the key driver of successful patient care and delivery. This is what makes a career in healthcare so rewarding: the knowledge that what you do really makes a difference in people’s lives.

There are core skills and knowledge areas that a healthcare IT professional must possess. Of course, skills and a strong knowledge base are in large part obtained through job experience; however, a solid educational foundation is essential. The University of Connecticut/HIMSS program is meant to provide you with basic knowledge of the healthcare environment and the information systems that support its operations. Courses will introduce you to clinical systems and programs, such as the electronic medical record, as well as administrative systems that deal with scheduling and finances. A successful IT professional must also have the ability to plan and manage projects, analyze and evaluate processes, and communicate effectively with co-workers and customers. There are also many government regulations specific to healthcare that a professional must understand and comply with. Above all, healthcare IT workers need to be highly motivated and able to thrive in an environment that faces rapid and constant change.

Take a look at some of the skills that we outline for you, as well as some of the motivations to learn those skills, which are extremely important to your success. Many have little to do with technology or straight application of knowledge. Instead, they are skills around partnering, flexibility, ability to learn, good leadership, change management and being a team player.

Overall, there are many different career tracks. You can grow through a variety of tracks such as the purely technical, technical applications, user application areas, management or senior executive.

The healthcare industry is more complex than most and continues to be one of the top two industries hiring even during these turbulent times. Candidates with non-healthcare backgrounds can bring new perspectives to the organization. The healthcare industry is recognizing the need for professionals with non-healthcare backgrounds and is now more open to considering a wider range of experiences.

Healthcare organizations are devising plans to prepare for the future. As the “baby boom” generation enters its retirement years, patient care needs to become more efficient, more comprehensive, more progressive and more technical. The industry needs growth and expansion into new areas, and that is why non-healthcare, non-traditional professionals are so highly sought by some organizations. Issues such as rising costs, competition and more limited reimbursement are forcing organizations to be more aggressive and resourceful than ever. Healthcare organizations can learn from the experiences of other industries that may have gone through similar challenges previously.

Transitioning and being successful in a healthcare environment as a non-healthcare candidate is not as daunting as it might seem. The Internet and list-servs are excellent sources for non-healthcare candidates to seek jobs in this field. Learning to adapt to the corporate culture and the politics in a very complex environment is as challenging as learning the technology.

How can you determine if a career in healthcare IT is right for you? Schedule an informational interview with a healthcare IT worker in an organization in your community. Visit professional association websites and read publications to learn more about current issues and challenges in the field. When you’re ready to take that next step, consider a formal education program to give you the basic knowledge you need.

Healthcare IT Professional Organization

Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS)
230 East Ohio Street, Suite 500
Chicago, IL 60611-3269
Phone: (312) 664-4467
www.himss.org