Health informatics
This is one of the fastest growing areas in health. It involves the intelligent use of information and technology to provide better care for patients.
Clinical informatics
Your working life in clinical informatics will involve looking at how information and data can help patients and the delivery of care. This could include:
analysing information about falls on wards to prevent hospital patients having accidents
helping to develop electronic patient records that link healthcare organisations, for example doctors and hospital clinics
running systems that store and share x-rays, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.
Health records and training administration
Health professionals need access to vital information at a moment's notice. This makes health records and patient administrators crucial to the delivery of healthcare. They are also responsible for promoting and supporting the effective use of data, information, knowledge and technology within their organisation.
Education and training roles
Educators and trainers in health informatics are responsible for making sure staff are able to use the latest technology for the benefit of patient care.
Information and communication technology
Information and communication technology (ICT) is the development, management and support of the information technology infrastructure in a health organisation. This includes personal computers, email systems and mobiles. ICT staff are responsible for all internal and external electronic communication networks, including:
wide area networks (WAN) and local area networks (LAN) that link systems in healthcare organisations, including WiFi
the hardware such as desktop computers, printers, laptops, tablets and smartphones
software systems such as email systems, applications and systems, such as patient records communications.
Information management
This relates to the retrieval, analysis, interpretation and presentation of health data and information. This enables the planning, improvement and delivery of patient services and care.
Understanding how patient data is generated and captured by health professionals is just as important as the analysis itself. This means clinical audit, data protection and patient confidentiality are all crucial areas for information management staff in health organisations.
Information management staff are also able to encourage evidence-based practice, measure performance and improve access to patient records through their work.
Library, knowledge and information services
Knowledge and library service staff make sure important evidence and information is available and accessible where and when colleagues need to use it.
Project and programme management
The NHS is investing heavily in digitisation and health informatics projects are at the forefront of continuously improving patient care.
Project and programme managers in health informatics work on projects such as delivering digital systems for staff to record, analyse, extract and use data for the benefit of patients; improving the way information is shared across healthcare organisations, or developing a healthcare app.