Computer Science and Public HealthThere are many reasons and would be graduates that are asking the question, “Can a computer science degree be combined with the health industry?” Fortunately, because of some of the more recent changes in the medical industry, computer science and medicine are more intricately linked than ever before.

How exactly are computer science and medicine linked?

News that every computer science major (as well as medical science major) should be aware of is that the government is now requiring all medical practices to adhere to an electronic medical record standard. Those offices that are not on the standard must immediately switch to the standard under penalty of censure or even shut down.

Most doctors do not have the staff in-house to facilitate a change such as this. There is a huge opportunity for people who are well-versed in computer science to help doctors fulfill the requirements of the federal government by switching over to the electronic health records standard. As a matter fact, many businesses are opening that are making this their entire product line.

Electronic medical records will need maintenance once doctors switch over to the new standard. This means that an individual who is savvy and good with computers now has the ability to create an ongoing income stream for him or herself based solely off of this new government regulation. This does not even include the current needs of doctors when it comes to computer science – many third-party labs that family doctors outsource their lab work to have certain electronic standards that doctors must interpret in order to continue a diagnosis. There are many individuals who are earning the trust of doctors by switching them over to the electronic medical records standard and eventually taking over all IT functions of that office.

The Advantages of a Computerized Medical Office

The savviest business owners are explaining to doctors the many advantages of the computerized medical office. Outside of the regulations of the federal government, is simply easier to find records if the entire office is electronic. It is also easier to connect to insurance companies to demand payment for services. This is especially important to family doctors who have found themselves squeezed by insurance companies in recent years.

Many doctors are also finding an income stream in creating electronic medical records for their office. Doctors with that power can now charge for each printout of the record, claiming that they are trying to go paperless, according to Health IT, park of the US Government’s Health IT website. This keeps patients from wasting the time of a doctor by requesting medical records over and over again for no reason. These are only a few of the marketing strategies that computer science majors are using to break into the medical field.

Related Resource: Health Informatics

For those people who are wondering can a computer science degree be combined with the health industry, the answer is most definitely yes. It may require a bit of ingenuity and an entrepreneurial spirit, but there is plenty of opportunity for people who keep up with current news and apply themselves correctly.