Health Informatics vs. Health Information Management [Difference Explained]

Medicine in the digital age means mountains of health data accruing every day. Doctors’ notes, test results, wearable devices, medical research, insurance claims, and many similar sources create billions of gigabytes of information each year.

This is Big Data at scale. Figuring out what to do with all this organizational and patient data (some of it collected using low-tech means) remains a significant challenge for the healthcare industry. The technology required to harness the power of exabytes of health data is still evolving, and the workforce capable of working with all that information is still being trained.

It’s an exciting time to work in health informatics, information management, and IT. Because these disciplines are so new, professionals in this space have a unique opportunity to shape how data is used to improve patient care, expand access to treatments and medications, and lower healthcare costs. They also have some tough decisions to make where health informatics vs. health information management (HIM) are concerned.

There is no consensus regarding whether these two disciplines are the same or different. Colleges and universities, employers, and professionals who work with healthcare data draw varying distinctions between careers and specializations in this space. That can make choosing between a Master of Science in Health Informatics (MSHI) and a Master of Science in Health Information Management (MSHIM or Master of Health Information Management) tough. It means you have to look at the academic pathways that lead to careers involving working with health data very carefully. You can’t make assumptions about the content of programs based on degree names alone.

In this article, we look at health informatics vs. health information managment and cover:

• Health informatics vs. health information management: what’s the difference?
• Master’s in health informatics vs. master’s in health information management: which is for you?

Health informatics vs. health information management: what’s the difference?

The answer to this question is anything but clear. The American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) defines health informatics as “the science of how to use data, information and knowledge to improve human health and the delivery of health care services.” According to the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), meanwhile, health information management is “the practice of acquiring, analyzing, and protecting digital and traditional medical information vital to providing quality patient care. It is a combination of business, science, and information technology.” Those are pretty similar definitions.

Here’s what we do know: both disciplines use databases and other software, financial accounting systems, and other tech to collect, optimize, and analyze information. Informatics tends to look at a broader range of data; that’s one distinction, albeit a small one.

Professionals in health information management tend to work with information generated by patients and patient care, like electronic health records and test results. On the other hand, health informatics looks at many different kinds of data, from insurance information to pharma research results to public health statistics. Titles in health informatics and health information management overlap significantly, as you’ll see below.

Curriculum

The core coursework and electives in MSHI and MSHIM programs are quite similar. Topics covered include:

• Analytics and data science
• Compliance
• Data management
• Data security
• EMR practices
• Health data structures and standards
• Information governance
• Information technology
• Privacy and ethics

The typical master’s in health informatics curriculum

The University of Pittsburgh‘s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences offers an online MSHI program. The UPitt health informatics curriculum includes courses like:

• Anatomy, Physiology, Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, and Medical Terminology
• Data Analytics and Machine Learning in Health Science
• Data Science in Health Informatics
• Database Design and Big Data Analytics
• Digital Health
• Financial Management and Health Care Reimbursement
• Foundations of Health Informatics
• Health Information and the Health Care System
• Health Vocabulary, Terminology and Classification Systems
• Leadership and Project Management
• Practical Research and Evaluation Methods
• Practical Statistics and Programming Using Python and R
• Security, Privacy, Legal and Ethical Issues in Health IT
• Talent Management and Human Resources

The typical master’s in health information management curriculum

Texas State University has a Master of Health Information Management program with core classes that include:

• Compliance for HIM Topics
• Contemporary Leadership Principles for HIM
• Data Security, Privacy, Confidentiality
• Health Data Content Structure and Standards
• Healthcare Finance and Revenue Cycle Management
• Informatics, Analytics, and Data Use
• Information Systems and Technology
• Quality Improvement in Healthcare

Elective options in the Texas State program include:

• Advanced Data Analytics in Healthcare
• Healthcare Database Management Systems
• Healthcare Terminologies and Vocabularies
• Risk Analysis of Healthcare Systems

Some, but not all, programs prepare students to sit for the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) exam or Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) exam.

Do you need a doctorate in either field to succeed?

You can advance in health informatics and health information management without a doctoral degree unless you plan to go into academia or research. A master’s degree will probably do more to boost your salary than a doctorate. If you’re really worried about not having multiple advanced degrees on your resume, specialty certifications like the Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA) and Certified in Healthcare Privacy and Security (CHPS) credentials can help you advance more quickly.

Specializations

Informatics is a broad discipline with many branches. Consequently, concentration tracks are a feature of many MSHI programs. MSHIM programs are less likely to have concentration tracks, but they tend to be similar to those in health informatics specializations when they do.

Health informatics specializations

Health informatics concentrations vary by program, but common specialization options include:

• Biomedical Informatics
• Clinical Informatics
• Cyber Security
• Data Science
• Health Information Systems
• Healthcare Finance
• Health Data Analytics
• Hospital Management Informatics
• Information Technology
• Nursing Informatics
• Population Health Informatics

Health information management specializations

There are fewer health information management master’s concentrations—possibly because, as you’ll see below, there are fewer MSHIM programs. Most graduate-level health information management programs don’t offer specialization options. Those that do let students choose from among HIM concentrations like:

• Health Data Analytics
• Health Information Systems
• Health Service Management
• Healthcare Informatics
• Healthcare Information Security

How long does it take?

Traditionally, full-time students would earn a graduate degree in two years, while part-time students might finish in three. In health informatics and health information management, however, it’s more common for programs to be structured around working professionals’ needs.

How long it takes to earn a master’s in health informatics

Informatics master’s programs sometimes follow the traditional two-year schedule, though there are plenty of faster and slower options. You can choose from among accelerated one-year, 15-month, and 18-month MSHI programs if your goal is to earn a graduate degree as quickly as possible. There are also flexible self-paced programs that take three years or more to complete.

How long it takes to earn a master’s in health information management

Most MSHIM programs are delivered online and designed to give students the flexibility they need to study while employed. Some are self-paced and let motivated students who take classes year-round finish in fewer than two years. You can even earn this degree in 18 months at some schools as a part-time student, and it’s worth noting the line between full-time and part-time study is not always clear. Full-time online MSHIM course schedules are typically structured around the typical workday, and students can often handle a full-time course load while working.

Top programs

There are more informatics master’s degree programs than there are health information management master’s programs. This isn’t because informatics is more popular or useful, but because many colleges and universities transitioned their HIM programs into HI programs (sometimes with minimal changes to the curriculum).

The top master’s in health informatics programs

There are highly respected Master of Science in Health Informatics programs at:

• Duke University
• Harvard University
• Johns Hopkins University
• Medical College of Wisconsin
• SUNY Downstate Medical Center
• University of California – Davis
• University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of Washington – Seattle Campus

The top master’s in health information management programs

The MSHIM has become a relatively rare degree, but there are still strong programs at:

• Rutgers University – Newark
• University of Illinois at Chicago
• University of Massachusetts – Lowell
• The University of Tennessee – Health Science Center
• University of Washington – Seattle Campus

Top online programs

Again, there are more online MSHI programs than online MSHIM programs, but this is likely the result of changing naming conventions. Curricula in online informatics master’s programs are often similar to, if not identical to, those in online health information management master’s programs.

The top master’s in health informatics programs

These schools are home to some of the best online health informatics master’s programs:

• Drexel University
• George Washington University
• Northwestern University
• Stanford University
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of San Diego

The top master’s in health information management programs

To find the top online MSHIM programs, just refer to the list above. Most colleges and universities with health information management programs deliver them online or in a flexible hybrid format requiring little time on campus.

Cost

Think of the cost of a master’s degree in informatics or information management as an investment in yourself. In one survey, health information management professionals reported education had the second biggest impact on advancement. Another found that health informatics professionals with master’s degrees earn 30 percent more than colleagues with bachelor’s degrees.

Average cost for a master’s in health informatics

The typical MSHI program costs between $20,000 and $30,000 in total tuition (not including extras like fees and books). More expensive programs cost between $50,000 and $70,000.

Average cost for a master’s in health information management

The cost of a master’s in health information management is comparable to the MSHI, though MSHIM programs may be more affordable than health informatics master’s programs on average. This may be because more prestigious schools have rebranded their HIM programs, leaving only the MSHIM programs at less expensive colleges and universities.

Job outlook

There will always be a demand for clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals for two reasons. One, people won’t ever stop aging or getting sick; and two, governments won’t ever stop regulating medicine. More importantly, the quantity of healthcare data being generated and analyzed today may look like peanuts compared to what we can analyze in the future.

Health informatics job outlook

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts jobs for medical records and health information technicians will grow at twice the rate of the entire job market over the next decade. However, it’s worth considering that jobs related to some specialties in this discipline (e.g., data science) may be where most growth occurs.

Health information management job outlook

The health information management job outlook is either as strong as the outlook for informatics careers or stronger, depending on how you categorize this discipline. Some sources treat informaticists as part of health information technology and HIM professionals as health services management. If those sources are right, jobs in health information management will be created twice as quickly as jobs in informatics.

Career paths and earning potential

All types of healthcare organizations (including insurance companies and health-focused government agencies) employ informaticists and health information managers. Salaries are affected more profoundly by job title than by discipline.

Most common jobs for those with a master’s in health informatics

Common roles in informatics include:

• Clinical informatics analyst ($89,000)
• Clinical informatics coordinator ($87,000)
• Health data analyst ($64,000)
• Health data resource manager ($77,000)
• Health IT specialist ($70,000)
• Implementation support analyst ($59,000)
• Informatics specialist ($78,000)
• Informatics analyst ($87,000)

Most common jobs for those with a master’s in health information management

Common roles in HIM include:

• EMR implementation specialist ($63,000)
• EMR specialist ($56,000)
• Compliance officer ($70,000)
• Health information management technician ($42,000)
• HIM consultant ($83,000)
• Medical records manager ($59,000)

Best-paying jobs for those with a master’s in health informatics

The best-paying roles in informatics include:

• Chief Clinical Informatics Officer ($120,000)
• Clinical informatics manager ($94,000)
• Health data scientist ($115,000)
• Health informatics consultant ($103,000)
• Health IT project manager ($100,000)
• Health informatics director ($100,000)

Best-paying jobs for those with a master’s in health information management

The top-paying roles in HIM include Chief Clinical Information Officer, clinical informatics director, and other high-level positions also found in informatics. Other lucrative positions in health information management include:

• Chief Compliance Officer ($104,000)
• Chief Technology Officer ($150,000)
• Director of risk management ($107,000)
• VP of information technology ($139,000)

Master’s in health informatics vs. master’s in health information management: which is for you?

Choosing between health informatics and health information management programs is trickier than choosing between health informatics and nursing informatics or health informatics and bioinformatics. There’s no clear and quantifiable dividing line between informatics and information management, and some colleges and universities combine the two in Master of Healthcare Informatics and Information Management programs. Some guides assert that health information management is a less technical discipline; others, that HIM is just another name for health informatics. Still others that health information management is patient record-focused while informatics encompasses a broader range of healthcare data.

This means you can’t just look at health informatics vs. health information management and pick a graduate degree pathway. The MSHI at one school may be identical to the MSHIM at another—or very different. Consequently, you’ll have to look at individual master’s in health informatics and master’s in health information management programs to figure out which MSHI and/or MSHIM programs will do the most to support your career goals.

Questions or feedback? Email editor@noodle.com