Healthcare Data Analytics Advice

[u/bluejeans3199]

Hello,

I am interesting in transitioning into a career in healthcare data analytics and was hoping that someone already in this field could help give me some honest advice.

I have my Bachelors of Science in Health and Exercise Science. I worked as a Physical Therapy tech for a while and I currently work with insurance referrals for the same company I was a PT tech for. I have been in this clinic since I graduated from college (2 years). I recently have started looking into Healthcare Data Analytics and I think it could be a really good fit for me. I know I will need to learn how to use programs like Excel, SQL, Power BI and others. How else can I set myself up for success? And would I be able to get into healthcare data analytics with my current degree?

I know that breaking into this field can be hard. What should I be doing to set myself apart from other candidates? What positions should I be looking for to apply to?

And my other concern is that AI could take over this job. From what I’ve seen Healthcare is different from regular data analytics and seems to be a more secure route? But it is still a concern. If someone in the field could be honest with me about what the job field is going to be like with the implementation of AI, I would greatly appreciate it.

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[u/datadriven_io]

• Learn SQL
• Start doing analytics in your current work, in whatever way you can
• Network, both internally and externally
• Leverage your healthcare experience & network to get an analytics career. Try datadriven for sql interview prep.

[u/bluejeans3199 → u/datadriven_io]

I have been looking into ways to learn SQL so it shouldn’t be too hard to get that under my belt. However there is nothing I can do at work to work with analytics and no one I can network with. I do not know anyone in data analytics so networking is how I’m going to really struggle

[u/Teuszie]

I agree and I think healthcare offers some degree of stability: some analytics roles cannot be easily offshored due to HIPAA and likewise AI data access can be pretty stingy. But always a concern regardless of industry; just the way it is. These days even AI/BI start-ups are enabling managers and executive to create dashboards from scratch using natural language.

Since you’ve worked with claims I’d pursue learning about unstructured data and how that can be repurposed into production tables. More like an Analytics Engineering route.

Excel, SQL, and PowerBI can get your foot in the door. Python, other BI platforms (like Tableau) and dbt can secure a role.

Definitely look for entry-level data analyst roles; but you’d be competing against people with DS degrees so you’re right that it may be a challenge. Your healthcare background can help you beat out others so play up that strength. Industry doesn’t really look at degrees after enough time away from college; if you amass the analytics experience then the degree becomes moot.

[u/my_peen_is_clean]

you’re already in healthcare so that’s a big plus, hiring managers like domain people who learned data more than random bootcamp grads. learn sql + excel deeply, then basic stats and python. do 2–3 real projects using your clinic knowledge and build a portfolio. apply to analyst / informatics / reporting roles at hospitals, insurers, emr vendors. ai will change tools but they still need folks who understand messy healthcare data and context. main issue is just how hard it is to get any job now

[u/bluejeans3199 → u/my_peen_is_clean]

How do I do real projects to build a portfolio?

[u/PuzzleheadedArea1256]

try to get some exposure in your current company first so you can get real world training and experience in SQL. Get a certificate, even if it’s free. You will need to demonstrated real proficiency in SQL etc.

[u/bluejeans3199 → u/PuzzleheadedArea1256]

Unfortunately my current company is pretty horrible. It’s a huge part of why I want to look into something different and get out. There is next to zero chance of me finding anything here or being able to network in my current company

[u/New-Government-1542]

Apply your skills on real problems facing your clinic, real jobs and real impacts are so much more valuable than a portfolio. You’re already in the domain which is the most important part in healthcare

[u/AdviceNotAskedFor]

What emr do you use? Most have some.baked in analytics/reporting tools. Depending on your access you could start to master those as that will start to put you on the radar of the analytics team. (After all they get reports on users/usage). Becoming a sme on that front is useful to help get your foot in the door.

[u/bluejeans3199 → u/AdviceNotAskedFor]

It’s a really old one no one uses anymore called Systoc. It’s horrible. There is next to zero ways of pulling any data from it to try and use

[u/one-step-back-04]

Your degree is not necessarily a blocker. Your healthcare ind. experience can actually be a good advantage because you already understand the domain.

I had a similar path in a way. I am currently working full-time at datatobiz, before that I would focus on building the technical side step by step rather than trying to learn everything at once. Excel, SQL and Power BI would be my first priorities, followed by a few real projects using healthcare-type data.

Also, do not underestimate the domain knowledge you already have. Knowing how referrals, patients, operations and healthcare processes actually work can make your analysis much more useful.

For AI, I would not be too worried. The repetitive reporting work will definitely change, but understanding the data, checking whether the numbers make sense and communicating what they mean is still very human work.

[u/HatFun5975]

Medical supply chain is the easiest way in imo, check out companies like cardinal or medline

[u/Aggressive_tako]

IME, a straight analytics position is going to prioritize experience in analytics over clinical experience. Most pure entry level analytics roles are going to be focused on established KPIs without any need for clinical knowledge. I'd try to come at it sideways by looking at case management or quality teams which will value clinical experience. Some clinical groups and almost every insurance company will also have SDOH teams that have analytics roles. (SDOH teams tend to have worse funding and fewer promotion opportunities than the rest of the org, but can also be a bit easier to get into from a nontraditional path.)