Getting a healthcare management degree or a degree in health informatics can be the first step toward a rewarding and exciting career. Healthcare management and health informatics are fast-growing areas in the healthcare industry. While both degrees are valuable, a healthcare management degree is a little more versatile than a health informatics degree. In other words, a healthcare management degree brings with it a few more choices than a degree in health informatics. Consider some of the reasons why a healthcare management degree is more versatile than a degree in health informatics.
The Nature of the Work
Planning, organizing and coordinating healthcare services are just three of the duties of someone working in the healthcare management field. The goal of this professional is to constantly improve the level of care provided to patients. One person working in this area may be in charge of coordinating the schedules of dozens of nurses or physicians on staff at a hospital. Another individual working in this field may be responsible for creating new programs that contribute to the efficiency of services offered at a neighborhood health clinic. Someone with this degree has a lot of choices when it comes to the type of work he or she does on a daily basis. Alternatively, a person with a health informatics degree works with electronic data including patient records, physician’s notes, prescriptions and other information. This professional keeps records organized and up-to-date. Keep in mind that any career in the field of health informatics is connected to handling electronic data.
Interaction with People
Getting a degree in healthcare management gives a person the opportunity to work with a variety of people. For instance, someone in this field may interact each day with the patients and the staff in a nursing home. Or, the individual may work closely with a staff of physicians in a hospital. In order to work in this area of healthcare, a person must have excellent leadership and communication skills. Alternatively, a person who works in the area of health informatics may not interact as much with patients and colleagues. Instead, the person strives to improve the electronic records system of an organization so it serves both the healthcare providers and their patients.
A Variety of Work Environments
People who earn a degree in healthcare management have a variety of choices as to their work environment. Some examples of work environments include hospitals, biotech companies, health insurance companies, physician’s offices, outpatient care centers and dentist offices. A professional can work for a large hospital in a city or for a small physician’s clinic in a rural area. This is ideal for someone who has a specific idea of where he or she would like to work.
Earning either of these degrees is a step in the right direction for someone who wants to pursue a rewarding career in healthcare. Though a healthcare management degree is more versatile than a health informatics degree, both degrees can be an advantage when looking for a career in this expanding industry.
Related resource:
Top 20 Health Informatics Degrees