Computer Scientist (medical informatics)

Medical IT specialists are developing clinical workstation systems that structure medical knowledge, enable situational information retrieval, and model decision-making processes. For this purpose, medical computer scientists create programs for medical applications in the field of diagnostics and therapy, such as computed tomography, and program interfaces between the practice software and diagnostic systems or different application systems. They develop methods that generate three-dimensional images of the body from measured data or transmit ultrasound or video images in real-time to the workstation. In addition, they design hospital information systems and optimize information processing and information exchange in and between hospitals, medical practices, rehabilitation facilities and medical research facilities.

In clinical research, but also in the pharmaceutical industry, medical IT specialists are involved in the planning, implementation and evaluation of clinical or pharmacological studies. They advise the researchers on the design of the experiment to obtain statistically useful results, and develop methods to study e.g. Create disease registers, make epidemiological statements or calculate risk models.

Medical informatics find employment, e.g.

• with IT service providers, software and database providers healthcare (e.g., hospitals, medical practices, health insurances, medical care centers, pharmaceutical companies, consulting firms, public health offices)
• at manufacturers of medical devices
• in research and development

The salary level for Computer Scientist (medical informatics) in Germany is: from 3999 up to 6560 EUR per month

Why is?

Medical IT specialists develop, service, operate and distribute medical information and documentation systems, e.g. Hospital information systems, imaging therapy and diagnostic procedures, computer-assisted surgical techniques or knowledge-based systems.

Develop information systems

Medical informatics specialists develop procedures and systems with which physicians can collect, view and process medical data in order to summarize a large number of findings into a general statement. An important area of ​​work is the development of hospital information systems for hospital administration as well as patient management. For this purpose, medical IT specialists process data on business processes (billing, services, costs for maintenance and consumables) as well as patient-related medical data (findings, treatment results, medications, fever curves, etc.). They select, procure and install components, monitor operations and, if necessary, adapt systems to the specific needs of the hospital.

Enable imaging processes

Image-forming methods for diagnostics, e.g. Magnetic resonance tomography, sonography and digital angiography are computer-aided. Medical IT specialists, for example, program interfaces between the practice software and digital diagnostic systems. They develop methods that generate three-dimensional images of the body from the measured data or transmit ultrasound or video images in real time to the workstation. Furthermore, they are developing demonstration programs that support the planning of therapy and / or with which surgical interventions can be trained or pinpointed radiation can be planned. They also develop procedures that make the smallest structures visible during surgery, thus enabling doctors to "navigate" the patient's body. In part, computer-assisted procedures are also used in operations, e.g. using robots for which medical informatics are programming.

Generate diagnostic support systems

A further area of ​​responsibility of medical informatics is the provision of systems for monitoring vital parameters (eg blood pressure, heart rate, respiration) during an operation or in intensive care units in order to recognize critical situations in good time and to intervene immediately.

Medical informatics also contribute to the development of diagnostic supporting systems, e.g. for automatic evaluation of long-term ECG. From these evaluations risks for diseases can be estimated and timely countermeasures taken. Computer-controlled prostheses or implants to support sensory functions are also programmed by medical computer scientists.

In clinical research, but also in the pharmaceutical industry, medical IT specialists are involved in the planning, implementation and evaluation of clinical or pharmacological studies. They advise the researchers on the design of the experiment to obtain statistically useful results, and develop methods to study e.g. Create disease registers, make epidemiological statements or calculate risk models. Finally, the medical documentation includes the acquisition of medical services as well as the systematic collection, storage and processing of medical research results using information technology.

Areas of application

Medical IT specialists work in all areas of the health care system, in hospitals, medical care centers (MVZ), large-scale practices, in specialized software houses, in the pharmaceutical industry, in health insurance companies, manufacturers and users of medical devices or in universities and research institutions. Partly they are freelancing or self-employed. Customer contact is common, especially when they advise and educate users, or when IT applications and systems need to be customized to meet individual customer needs.