5 most important technology skills to build a career in health tech in 2023

Dr Sureshkumar R, Vice President-Technology, Optum Global Solutions (India) highlights that health technology is accelerating at a great pace and there is a need for technologists to invest their skills in health care to solve for the future global challenges

The impact of advancing technology is health care has been profoundly transformative. Today, health technology is improving the quality of health care delivery, patient data security, virtual care, medical research and more. But the increasing role of technology also creates a massive technology talent demand-supply gap across the world. To be a part of this rapid development, technologists will need some essential skills to empower care providers and consumers alike:

Cloud computing

Cloud computing allows users to access services like storage, software, databases, networking, etc., over the internet through a cloud provider creating efficient functioning and reducing costs. It also facilitates easy tracking of patient data, safe storage and enables health care officials deliver care remotely through telehealth. The health tech industry is growing, and approximately 83 per cent of the global health care sector relies on cloud for its data management.

This warrants a need for professionals like cloud engineers and architects, who can design, implement, configure, and maintain cloud-based systems in health tech organisations. Cloud service platform expertise, knowledge of programming languages, and familiarity with database management, among others, are also highly sought-after skills in technologists working in the field of health.

Health data analysis

Digital health enabling easy storage has made vast amounts of data available to researchers, insurers, care providers, etc. The processing, analysing, and leveraging of this data is an integral aspect of health tech.

Health data analysis involves systems analysis, system design, system selection, implementation, support and maintenance, systems testing and evaluation, and system privacy and security. The analysts are also required to organise and manage data sets, optimise business operations, study data for trends and patterns, and understand health care business operations. The field has a strong demand for professionals well versed in skills like database programming languages such as SQL and Python, data visualisation and management software such as Tableau, data processing and communication skills.

UI/UX design

Large-scale digitisation in health care is providing new opportunities for tech professionals to create customer/patient interfaces that bring smooth, engaging, and satisfying experiences. Technologists would need to balance the requirements of patients, medical practitioners, and health care institutions, and have skills to create clear and simple-to-use designs for compliance, checklists, task management, and patient data management.

Aspiring UI/UX design professionals in health care need proficiency in design framework, wireframe tools and troubleshooting UX problems. Their areas of responsibility include wearable technologies, telemedicine and remote patient monitoring, chatbots, mental health virtual assistants, etc.

Medical coding, health informatics, and economics

Health informatics professionals’ competence in processing health care data in coded and classified formats for payment, registration, or patient record maintenance, is poised to make them indispensable in the industry.

As will be experts in medical coding, which entails converting health care diagnoses, procedures, medical services, and equipment into universally accepted medical codes. Professionals looking to excel in this field will need to be qualified in medical coding and billing systems, medical terminologies, regulatory requirements, auditing concepts, and principles.

AI

Technological advancements like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and the Internet of Things (IoT) have proved to be a game-changer in health care. AI applications in healthcare can enable better outcome, substantially reduce cost of care, enable early diagnosis including precision health, advance clinical research in emerging areas like pharmacogenomics, assist with accurate procedures using robotics and more.

Digital technologists will guide the future of health care

Health technology is accelerating at a great pace and there is a need for technologists to invest their skills in health care to solve for the future global challenges.

This sector is fast-evolving, allowing professionals with industry-specific skill sets from varied backgrounds to find exciting work opportunities. Professionals with a passion for solving complex problems will be instrumental in anticipating future pandemics and enabling drug discovery with analytics. Consequently, this new generation of technologists will play an important role in simplifying and improving patient experiences and helping modernize the health system.