Master of Science in Health Informatics (MSHI)
About

Health Informatics is defined as the intergration of Healthcare Sciences , computer science, information science, and cognitive science to assist in the management of healthcare information." (Saba & McCormick, 2015). The online MSHI Degree provides a foundation in business concepts needed to advance health information technologies (health IT). The goal of the MSHI online program is to develop comprehensive knowledge in the methodologies to acquire, store, retrieve, and use health information in medicine to support healthcare and research enterprises. MSHI will teach students to lead the creation and advancement and health equity in health informatics.
Program at a Glance
- Credits to Graduate: 35-credit hours
- Program Length: 12 months/1 year
- GMAT/GRE or Waiver: GMAT/GRE not required
- Tuition: $950 per credit hour
Who
The ideal student will have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and an interest in allied health, IT, or business. These individuals seek to work in areas of health informatics, e.g., clinical decision support, health IT, health management, telemedicine, project management, or consumer health informatics.
Leadership Track
A report by B.E. Smith, Exploring the Benefits of Leadership Diversity, shows that despite progress in recent years, there remains room for considerable improvement in leadership diversity in healthcare. A 2015 survey by American Hospital Association’s Institute for Diversity in Healthcare Management found that while minorities represented 32% of patients in hospitals, they comprised only 14% of hospital board members, 11% of executive leadership, and 19% of mid-level and first-level managers.
On gender, despite a healthcare workforce that is 80% female, women occupy approximately 25% of hospital CEO positions. Representation by women of color is in the single digits.
Professionals in leadership positions in health informatics and health IT can earn even more. PayScale reports the top 10% of health IT project managers earn nearly $140,000, and the highest health informatics director salaries top $200,000 annually.
What
This 35-credit hour, 14-month, online degree is designed to give individuals the flexibility to pursue advance training in health informatics. The program offers students a unique combination of courses in a lockstep cohort format in.The program offers students a unique combination of courses in a lockstep cohort format in clinical operations & communication, clinical decision support, health IT standards & interoperability, data mining & analytics, big data management, practical applications of machine learning & artificial intelligence (ML & AI), business fundamentals, and real world learning experiences through a hands on technical capstone practicum.
Potential MSHI Careers
- Health Informatics Consultants Clinical Informatics Analyst
- Clinical Data Analyst
- Chief Informatics Officer
- Health Informatics Specialists
- EHR Implementation Manager
- Health Information Technology Project Manager
Salary Range: $50,000- $200,000 ( depending on position and location)
Where
Online|Anywhere
Why
Health informatics uses IT to organize and analyze health records to improve healthcare outcomes. This discipline has been around for 30+ years, but the rate of growth of this market increased largely due to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which was signed into law in 2009. This law includes the Health Information and Technology for Economic Clinical Health Act (HITECH). HITECH formulated the Meaningful Use (MU) program under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field of health informatics is estimated to grow at a rate > 25% every 10 years. This results in the creation of 50,000 new jobs every year. Hence, the health informatics workforce is one of the fastest growing sectors (Bureau of Labor Statistics). The infrastructure supporting this industry aims to improve healthcare quality, decrease medical errors, reduce health disparities, and advance delivery of patient-centered care to the historically underserved.
When
Online Course Calendar 2023-2024
|
Start Date |
Finish Date |
Final Grades Posted |
Spring 2023 |
Monday, Jan. 2 |
Saturday, Feb. 25 |
March 1 |
Monday, Feb. 27 |
Saturday, April 22 |
April 26 |
|
Summer 2023 |
Monday, May 1 |
Saturday, June 24 |
June 28 |
Monday, June 26 |
Saturday, Aug. 21 |
Aug. 23 |
|
Fall 2023 |
Monday, Aug. 21 |
Saturday, Oct. 16 |
Oct. 20 |
Monday, Oct. 16 |
Saturday, Dec. 9 |
Dec. 13 |
|
Spring 2024 (Terms I & II) |
Tuesday, Jan. 2 |
Saturday, Feb. 24 |
Feb. 28 |
|
Monday, Feb. 26 |
Saturday, April 20 |
April 24 |
|
|
|
Deadlines
Fall 2023 Cohort
- Applications open: January 1, 2023
- Applications close: July 14, 2023
- Early decision: April 1, 2023
- Classes begin: August 21, 2023
Completed applications are received and reviewed by the admissions committee. *Interviews are not guaranteed.
Scheduled Breaks
- Spring Break: 4/24/23 - 5/1/23
- Winter Break: 12/10/23-1/1/24
Admissions and Tuition Information
Click here for information on admissions and tuition.