Health Informatics Specialists

Career Overview

Apply knowledge of nursing and informatics to assist in the design, development, and ongoing modification of computerized health care systems. May educate staff and assist in problem solving to promote the implementation of the health care system.

Also Known As

  • Clinical Informaticist
  • Clinical Informatics Specialist
  • Health Informaticist
  • Nursing Informatics Specialist

Alternate Job Titles

  • Clinical Electronic Health Record Nurse (Clinical EHR Nurse)
  • Clinical Informaticist
  • Clinical Informatics Analyst
  • Clinical Informatics Nurse
  • Clinical Informatics Specialist
  • Clinical Quality Auditor
  • Clinical Specialist
  • Clinical Systems Educator
  • Coding Auditor
  • Health Informaticist
  • Health Informatics Advisor
  • Health Informatics Analyst
  • Health Informatics Coordinator
  • Health Informatics Instructor
  • Health Informatics Solutions Coordinator

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

  • Translate nursing practice information between nurses and systems engineers, analysts, or designers, using object-oriented models or other techniques.
  • Use informatics science to design or implement health information technology applications for resolution of clinical or health care administrative problems.
  • Develop or implement policies or practices to ensure the privacy, confidentiality, or security of patient information.
  • Analyze and interpret patient, nursing, or information systems data to improve nursing services.
  • Identify, collect, record, or analyze data relevant to the nursing care of patients.
  • Apply knowledge of computer science, information science, nursing, and informatics theory to nursing practice, education, administration, or research, in collaboration with other health informatics specialists.
  • Develop, implement, or evaluate health information technology applications, tools, processes, or structures to assist nurses with data management.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

  • Computers and Electronics
  • English Language
  • Medicine and Dentistry
  • Education and Training
  • Customer and Personal Service

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

  1. Reading Comprehension
  2. Complex Problem Solving
  3. Active Listening
  4. Writing
  5. Speaking
  6. Critical Thinking
  7. Judgment and Decision Making
  8. Active Learning
  9. Learning Strategies
  10. Systems Analysis

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

  • Written Comprehension
  • Oral Expression
  • Written Expression
  • Problem Sensitivity
  • Deductive Reasoning
  • Inductive Reasoning
  • Oral Comprehension
  • Fluency of Ideas
  • Originality
  • Near Vision

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Integrity
  • Intellectual Curiosity
  • Cautiousness

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

  • Achievement
  • Support
  • Independence
  • Recognition
  • Relationships

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: Master's Degree

Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years

On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month

Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

  • Apache Hadoop
  • eClinicalWorks EHR software
  • Epic Systems
  • ESRI ArcGIS software
  • IBM SPSS Statistics
  • JavaScript
  • MEDITECH software
  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software

Tools & Equipment

  • Desktop computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Liquid crystal display LCD projectors
  • Medical image database systems
  • Multi-line telephone systems
  • Overhead projectors
  • Personal computers
  • Tablet computers

Work Environment

  • E-Mail
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
  • Telephone Conversations
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
  • Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities

Salary & Job Market

Wages reported for the broader Computer Systems Analysts occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Health Informatics Specialists.
Salary PercentileAnnual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)$63,160
Median$103,790
Top Earners (90th percentile)$166,030

Workers Employed Nationally: 497,800

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.

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