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In 2021, cyberattackers breached a then-record high of 45.9 million health records, according to The HIPAA Journal. That record was subsequently broken in 2022 and again in 2023. In 2024, the U.S. experienced another record breach鈥攁 single incident affecting 190 million individuals鈥攖he largest U.S. healthcare data breach of all time. Healthcare organizations clearly have much work to do regarding how they secure patient data, and health informatics and health information management play a vital role in this work.

With a master鈥檚 degree in health informatics, students can shape how health information is stored, while students studying health information management work toward a career of protecting and efficiently and ethically sharing that data.

What Is Health Informatics?

Health informatics, or health information systems, is an area of the healthcare industry dedicated to using and optimizing information technology (IT) to organize, store, and analyze health records. Those working in health informatics may be responsible for the privacy and security of health information, but their day-to-day responsibilities typically focus less on health information and more on the information systems that store it.聽

Their duties include creating and implementing information systems, securing sensitive patient information, establishing guidelines for sharing that information, and analyzing current systems to assess and improve patient care and security.

What Is Health Information Management?

The duties of those in health informatics and those in health information management can overlap, particularly in handling sensitive patient information. This responsibility is at the core of health information management.

Health information management professionals collect patient information, store it in information systems, and verify the accuracy of that information. They also share the information with other healthcare personnel and necessary parties, such as insurers, ensuring that data sharing and storage adhere to all privacy laws and standards.聽

Comparing Health Informatics vs. Health Information Management

While the roles in health informatics and health information management may overlap, they鈥檙e two distinct career paths. Both relate to the privacy and security of health information, but how they interact with and protect it are different.

Career Paths

Careers in health informatics include health informatics specialist (median annual salary about $77,400, as of April 2025, Payscale) and clinical informatics manager (median annual salary about $106,040, as of February 2025, Payscale). The BLS classifies these positions as health information technologists and forecasts a 16% increase between 2023 and 2033, far outpacing the national average.

Health information managers earned a median annual salary of about $66,700 as of March 2025, according to Payscale, which lists the role as 鈥渉ealth information management managers.鈥� The role is considered a type of health services manager, a field that鈥檚 projected to experience a high growth rate of 29% between 2023 and 2033, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Other roles in health information management include compliance specialist, medical coder, and medical biller.

Education Requirements

Those who want to pursue health informatics will find that earning a degree in a technical field, such as information analysis, data science, or programming, may be beneficial. Established professionals who want to advance their knowledge in health informatics or pivot their careers may find that an advanced degree, such as an executive master鈥檚 degree in health informatics, is a good avenue to do so.

Students interested in careers in health information management should consider degrees that allow them to develop health sciences knowledge in fields such as records management, public health, or human physiology.聽

A degree in health administration or healthcare management helps graduates target all three of these fields. An associate degree in healthcare administration or a bachelor鈥檚 degree in healthcare administration can be a good starting place, though some employers prefer a master鈥檚 degree.

Necessary Skills

Students interested in careers in health informatics need less health sciences knowledge and more knowledge of IT, database management, and computer science. They should also be analytical problem-solvers who can use their skills to solve issues with information systems and make recommendations to improve efficiency and care.聽

Those pursuing careers in health information management need a deep understanding of health sciences, such as pharmacology and healthcare regulations. This knowledge allows them to organize and apply health information to ensure that it鈥檚 accurate and secure and that patients are getting the care they need.聽

Professionals in both health informatics and health information management should also be good communicators and collaborators. Health informatics needs employees who can work with others to ensure that the information systems they create meet the organization鈥檚 needs. Health information management requires talking with patients to collect information and working with both internal and external healthcare organizations to ensure that they have the correct patient information.

Prepare for a Career in Health Informatics with NEC

Health informatics and health information management work together to ensure that patient information is kept safe and secure. By pursuing a career in health informatics, individuals can help shape the future of healthcare, keeping sensitive data secure and working to improve patient care. The Executive Master of Science (MS) in Health Informatics from New P站视频 College offers the opportunity to develop the technical knowledge to excel in health informatics.聽

Students take courses that focus on database design, healthcare compliance, and machine learning to assist healthcare organizations in data-driven decision-making, boosting both patient care and operational efficiency. With this hybrid degree program, students enjoy the flexibility of remote learning while also taking advantage of on-campus learning opportunities during the program鈥檚 in-person three-day weekend residencies.

Find out how NEC can help you play a role in the future of healthcare.

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