Master of Health Informatics

This course serves as an introduction to health informatics concepts, techniques, and emerging trends, with a leadership lens. Learners will identify current and emerging trends in health informatics, including electronic health records, patient portals, health data, standards, sourcing, accessibility, health equity awareness, and privacy issues. The course will cover how health informatics is used in administrative, operational, clinical, financial, and strategic aspects of healthcare, and how healthcare technologies are used in information management to deliver and improve the quality, cost, equity, and accessibility of healthcare services.

This course provides a thorough overview of healthcare delivery in the United States and Population Health. Learners will discuss the importance of healthcare and health information quality and the need for health equity and patient safety in healthcare systems, and analyze the impact of social, behavioral, cultural, economic, and environmental factors on healthcare systems and practices. The course will cover ways to create sustainable change through improved management, policy, and financial support in healthcare, including relevant governmental, ethical, regulatory, and compliance issues in the context of healthcare plans and payment models.

A comprehensive introduction to the current state of the science and practice of analytics in healthcare, including how to “tell the story” the numbers present. Core competency skills are achieved using a variety of learning methods to help students apply analytic techniques supporting data mining, visualization and data driven decision making.

Dive into the theory and application of database management systems. This course will help learners apply principles of database management, data modeling, privacy, and cybersecurity to improve healthcare and manage health data effectively, and identify and analyze database management systems. It will also cover query languages and the design and maintenance of cloud databases.

This course will explore the theory, applied practice, and impact of current and emerging digital health technologies and clinical documentation systems for all demographics. Learners will differentiate between the technology tools used in healthcare, including wearables, telemedicine, Mobile Health, Internet of Things (IoT), and other Consumer eHealth tools, and examine how digital health solutions and patient portals impact patients’ health and wellness, access to healthcare services, and interactions with their caregivers (patient perspective). They will also evaluate how digital platforms can improve and transform clinical operations and the delivery of healthcare (care provider perspective).

This course offers foundational exposure to legal and ethical issues related to health information privacy and security, and the basic technological considerations to meet professional obligations in health informatics practice. Learners will evaluate security audits, regulatory policies/laws, and release of information procedures, and address ethical considerations in health sciences, informatics, and electronic medicine. They will discuss legal and regulatory issues that apply to the management of patient information in health informatics and how they can be a source of innovation. The course will also cover evolving standards and issues, such as blockchain, remote patient monitoring, telemedicine, and their regulatory, privacy, security, and ethical issues.

This course will explore leadership, organizational structure, and effective team functioning in healthcare. It will provide students with an understanding of the importance of developing high-quality relationships, the impact of motivation, power, and influence, principles of organizational ethics, and health equity.

This course covers the foundations for understanding and pursuing patient safety and quality of care outcomes within the current healthcare environment. Thoughtful consideration is given on how quality and safety from a global perspective can critically impact expectations within today’s healthcare environment.

This course threads together all program content learned throughout the program into a culminating capstone experience. Learners will identify a current health care opportunity, challenge, or issue, and develop and implement a comprehensive Health Informatics project, case study, or business case. Students will design a process or project that positively impacts and improves outcomes using the principles and applied concepts of health informatics.