Health informatics

Pushing boundaries

By Rachael Oku

A career in health informatics takes data analysis a step further, combining science with information technology to save lives.

Health informatics is an exciting field that combines research in biology, medicine and health-related studies with IT to collect and interpret data.

“The demand for health IT experts has never been greater,” says Dr Mark Merolli, a health informatics researcher and academic in the Health and Biomedical Informatics Centre at the University of Melbourne.

Increasingly, the health sector is looking to technology to treat patients faster and more effectively. From electronic health records and personal health-tracking devices to brain scans and apps that allow patients to monitor their health, informatics is revolutionising healthcare around the world.

“People today have an unprecedented ability to connect and engage in healthcare via technology,” says Mark.

Dubbed “the new face of healthcare” by University of Technology Sydney graduate Professor Carolyn McGregor, informatics is an exciting career path that draws on a variety of STEM skills.

“With health informatics you can be at the forefront of cutting-edge technology,” she says.

Carolyn created a computer program called Artemis that analyses data in real time to detect patterns and subtle changes in patient health, and is transforming the role big data plays in health.

Taking the concept of big data analysis one step further is Google’s artificial intelligence company DeepMind.

It aims to radically improve healthcare by developing programs that can self-teach how to solve complex healthcare problems, such as analysing eye scans to detect early signs of diseases that can cause blindness.

If you’d like to work in health and use data to help people, a career in bioinformatics could be perfect for you.