Information technology is one of those careers that is taking off in nearly every sector of the economy. Many of us tend to think of the IT person as the one who works for a tech company writing fancy code or who is huddled in the computer closet at a university and fixes broken laptops. However, IT professionals have infiltrated and become essential to every industry, making it a great career path for those that want some variety. 

IT professionals can even find homes in places such as the healthcare industry. In fact, information tech in healthcare is a rapidly expanding job and skilled professionals are desperately needed. As you consider your options — either as an IT professional looking for a different position or as a healthcare provider looking for something more technical — keep an eye on the exciting future trends of healthcare IT. 

A Growing Need

Start preparing your resume now — the need for healthcare IT professionals has never been higher! As you do so, be sure to cite your experience working across disciplines as you’ll likely be translating technology to healthcare providers with limited experience and you may even be speaking directly with patients about how health IT will help capture their health changes. Emphasize your people skills as well, IT no longer fits into the stereotype of the awkward nerd job that it used to. 

Indeed a variety of healthcare IT jobs are in high demand such as blockchain developers, software engineers, artificial intelligence developers, and robotics engineers. These careers all point to the exciting direction that healthcare technologies are going in the future. For instance, in the light of COVID-19, mobile healthcare has taken off and given healthcare providers and means of checking in on patients that may not be willing to risk traveling to the hospital for regular check-ups. 

Mobile technologies are just one example of how tech is working to make healthcare more patient-centered. That is, focused more on what is convenient for the patient and increasing the ability to reach and respond to patients in modern ways. Other things include ideas like blockchain technology to reduce fraud risks and 3D printing to customize things like dental work for patients.  

Exciting Trajectories

Going forward, these exciting technologies are only going to continue to become more mainstream. This is certainly something to look forward to as new healthcare IT professional. You’d likely have a direct hand in establishing new technology, training healthcare providers on its uses, and helping to maintain equipment into the future. 

One of the big things that many professionals are getting excited about is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. AI technologies can be a huge boon to patients because it will help streamline healthcare treatment and aid doctors in coming to accurate diagnoses more rapidly. Many anticipate that AI will capitalize on machine learning and data science inputs to rule out certain diseases and identify areas of high risk on an individualized level for patients.  

Additionally, robotics is becoming more of a reality in healthcare. Although many people still feel a little weird about a robot working on them, the technology has come a long way and in many instances can be more precise and methodical than even the most highly rated doctor in the field. Robots are capable of being used for all sorts of things in healthcare such as holding tools when precision is required, cleaning facilities, and streamlining medical analysis. 

The future is bright for healthcare technology. Leaders in the industry are excitedly awaiting the day when technology leads the way in all of our hospitals and other healthcare settings, thereby, increasing patient-centered care and positive health outcomes. It is an exciting time to start this type of career.