Clinical Systems Analyst: Salary and Career Facts
Clinical systems analysts participate in maintaining computer networks and information systems in healthcare settings. Read on for details about the education and employment options, job duties and earning potential of clinical systems analysts.
What Is a Clinical Systems Analyst?
A clinical systems analyst is a computer systems analyst which is specially trained to work in the health care industry. Analysts work in teams to decide which computer technology is best suited to most adeptly and productively meet the needs of an organization. They also decide which technological upgrades are cost effective, and may seek alternative methods with the existing technology when a newer program doesn't meet budget. They are often involved in the installation and testing process of new technologies as well. Below, you can learn some details about this career in the table:
<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Degree Required</b></td><td>Bachelor's</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Education Field of Study</b></td><td>Clinical systems analysis, health information management, computer information systems, healthcare administration</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Key Responsibilities</b></td><td>Make sure the computer systems in a hospital or clinic are running effectively and efficiently, troubleshoot and solve problems</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Job Growth (2020-2030)*</b></td><td>7% (<i>for all computer systems analysts</i>)</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Median Salary (2020)*</b></td><td>$93,730 (<i>for all computer systems analysts</i>)</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---WhatTypesOfProgramsAreAvailableForClinicalSystemsAnalysts">What Types of Programs Are Available for Clinical Systems Analysts?</h3><p>Educational programs dedicated specifically to clinical systems analysis are rare, though you can find some offered at the bachelor's degree level. Employers may also hire you with a bachelor's degree in health information management, computer information systems or healthcare administration. Most positions also specify 3-5 years of experience with medical information systems.
</p><p>In a bachelor's degree program in health information management, you'd learn to collect, organize, store and retrieve healthcare data. Possible courses include health informatics, data analysis and health computer systems.
</p><p>A program in computer information systems synthesizes concepts from business administration and computer science, with the aim of teaching you how computer systems can be used to support an organization. Courses may include computer fundamentals, database management and organizational behavior.
</p><p>A health administration bachelor's degree program adapts and applies business administration to a medical setting. You would learn to allocate technical and human resources to support the efficient operation of a healthcare organization. Healthcare quality management, healthcare budgeting and operations management are among the possible courses.
</p><h3 id="section---WhereDoProfessionalsWork">Where Do Professionals Work?</h3><p>Your prospective employers include hospitals, clinics and companies that provide support services to healthcare institutions. Although figures for clinical systems analysts weren't available, in the closely related category of computer systems analysts the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that approximately 23,040 of these professionals worked in hospitals industry as of 2020. The BLS projects employment of computer systems analysts in all industries will increase 7% from 2020 to 2030.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatJobDutiesWillIHave">What Job Duties Will I Have?</h3><p>Making sure the computers and information systems used at hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities are working effectively and efficiently will be your first responsibility. Most of your time will be taken up performing a number of technical functions, such as troubleshooting, testing the integrity of medical data, assuring compliance with privacy regulations, researching new systems and installing, configuring and maintaining hardware and software. You'll also need sufficient communication skills to confer with medical and non-medical staffers about their evolving needs, communicate with vendors about possible solutions to system problems and provide technical training to new and existing employees.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatSalaryIExpectToEarn">What Salary I Expect to Earn?</h3><p>The BLS reported that the median salary for computer systems analysts was $93,730 per year, as of May 2020. Analysts in the 25th-75th percentiles earned $72,030-$120,890. <i>PayScale.com</i> reports that clinical systems analysts make a median income of $67,055 with a 10th to 90th percentile salary range of $48,000 to $105,000 as of October 2021.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatAreSomeAlternativeRelatedCareers">What Are Some Alternative Related Careers?</h3><p>Clinical systems analysts might work under an IT manager, who sets technology goals for an organization and then works to meet them. The same computer science degree is applicable for this career, although IT managers typically have about 5 years of work experience, so this may be a good promotional goal for a systems analyst.
</p><p>Another type of analyst that many organizations, including those in the health care industry, employ is information security analysts. They, too, typically hold a computer science or related degree. Like systems analysts, security analysts plan for technology needs and then maintain and update technology to meet those needs. However, information security analysts are solely concerned with protecting the information stored within the computer systems. This includes medical records, payment and insurance information, and other sensitive data.</p>