According to the global investment bank RBC Capital Markets, approximately 30% of the world's data is healthcare-related. Hospitals and healthcare institutions are among the most predominant collectors of information and data, with patient data stored and shared through large databases and computer systems.
It should be no surprise that the demand for data scientists and business analysts in healthcare is rising. There are strict rules around data privacy and accessibility within the healthcare industry, making it an ideal career path for data scientists with backgrounds in cybersecurity, database design, and network administration. In addition, the growing field of healthcare analytics opens new opportunities for data analysts and scientists pursuing careers in healthcare and medicine.
What is Healthcare Analytics?
Healthcare analytics is a subset of data analytics concentrated on healthcare and medical data collected from four critical areas: insurance data, clinical data, patient data, and pharmaceutical data. Insurance data includes claims data and comparisons between the amount of money an individual or company spends on health insurance and the amount spent on doctor visits and procedures. Clinical data is based on research and studies from clinical trials and supports the ability of doctors and healthcare administrators to recommend procedures to patients. Clinical data also helps determine the treatments and technologies available in a healthcare institution.
Pharmaceutical data is medication-focused, particularly which medications are recommended to patients, how much is being dispensed, and what ailments are being treated. Like clinical data, pharmaceutical data is drawn from research and studies of trials that monitor the effects of new medicines. Pharmaceutical data collection is used to improve patient care, monitor potential public health concerns, and research and develop medicine. Patient data centers on medical data to help healthcare practitioners and institutions diagnose illnesses and develop care plans. But data collection also includes patient behavior and sentiment, meaning how they respond to the treatment they receive and their opinions about the healthcare system. Patient data also plays a vital role in improving interactions between patients and healthcare professionals and changing computer systems and technologies in the healthcare industry.
Healthcare analytics offers data scientists several career paths. Healthcare data is considered personally identifiable information (PII) and is therefore classified as sensitive data. Sensitive data accessed without consent is a vulnerability for individuals or populations, so strict rules around security and accessibility exist. For example, healthcare professionals must adhere to national standards for storing and sharing patient data under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Data science professionals in the healthcare industry should understand how to safely work with data and the legal and ethical protocols and policies on healthcare data.
Demand for Data Scientists in the Healthcare Industry
The growing demand for data scientists in healthcare and medicine directly corresponds to data collection methods in healthcare institutions and academic research on patients and medicine. According to projections from Valuates Reports, the market size of the healthcare analytics industry is projected to increase from almost 12 billion dollars in 2019 to over 40 billion dollars in 2025. Much of this growth is attributed to the increasing use of electronic health records (EHR) that require developing healthcare data management systems. These systems require data science professionals to improve databases and the daily operations of healthcare institutions, as well as data analysts and engineers to manage clinical trials, insurance claims, and other medical records.
The range of data collected for healthcare analytics opens several career paths for data scientists, information technologists, and database administrators. Data science professionals in the healthcare industry can find jobs in hospitals, private practices, health insurance companies, academic institutions, pharmaceutical research, development, and software and technology companies. Building a data science career in healthcare and medicine is also viable for former medical professionals transitioning from patient care to research and analytics.
Top Data Science Careers in Healthcare and Medicine
Healthcare Data Analyst
Healthcare data analyst is an introductory data science career in healthcare and medicine, with most analysts working in hospitals and health insurance companies. Using business intelligence tools and data management protocols, healthcare data analysts or business analysts create reports and dashboards on issues relevant to a healthcare institution. These analysts provide the information healthcare institutions need to make data-driven decisions through data analysis and visualization. Data scientists interested in healthcare analytics can also increase their opportunities in this field by becoming Certified Healthcare Data Analysts (CHDA). Like healthcare data analysts, healthcare information management (HIM) analysts collect and analyze healthcare data in various departments and institutions or work as part of a larger healthcare data science team.
Medical Statistician
Medical statisticians work in the research and development side of medicine, with most statisticians applying their health and data science knowledge to academic research and clinical trials. Data science professionals in medical statistics are responsible for designing research studies, collecting healthcare data, and analyzing clinical data. In contrast to medical doctors, statisticians work less with patients and research participants and more with companies and clients that need to understand the effectiveness of a clinical trial or research protocol. Consequently, medical statisticians often build careers in academic institutions, research labs, or healthcare companies specializing in developing medicine or technology. Medical statisticians should also have strong skills in mathematics, data and information science, public health, and research methods.
Healthcare Operations Analyst
Healthcare Operations Analysts are similar to business operations analysts who analyze an institution’s internal operations. In the healthcare field, analysts focus on the daily operations of a hospital, clinic, or any other medical institution requiring project management and data-informed practice. For example, healthcare operations analysts make suggestions for improvement informed by data collection and analysis and patient and staff feedback. Many healthcare operations analysts have business intelligence and data visualization software skills. Depending on the workplace and environment, this role is sometimes classified as a hospital operations analyst or clinical operations analyst.
Health Information Manager
Health information managers are experts in organizing and protecting patient data and undergo rigorous training in the protocols around patient care data. Patient health data includes sensitive information shared between patients and healthcare institutions through doctors' notes, intake forms, or even insurance claims. Electronic records require that health information managers are trained in database management and access. To further their careers in the field, data science professionals can pursue certification exams to become credentialed as Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) or Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT).
Healthcare Data Engineer
Data engineers are found across multiple industries, including healthcare. Healthcare data engineers manage the data infrastructure of a healthcare institution, especially the large databases and data storage systems used to manage patient data. There is a high level of data collection and sharing within the healthcare industry, with electronic health records constantly moving from one place to another. Healthcare data engineers are tasked with building and monitoring data pipelines that allow medical professionals, insurance companies, and other stakeholders to safely communicate about patient care and the internal operations of healthcare institutions.
Building a Career in Healthcare Analytics and Data Science?
Noble Desktop's data science classes and certificate programs build comprehensive skills for anyone pursuing a career in data science. The Data Analytics Certificate is a great start for beginners interested in healthcare analytics. Training includes hands-on experience with business intelligence, statistical analysis, and data visualization tools. In addition, the Cybersecurity Bootcamp is for those interested in network administration and database security. Any student or professional with solid data science skills can pursue a career in healthcare and medicine.