Master of Science in Health Informatics
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Program Overview
Degree:
Master of Science in Health Informatics Degree
Application:
$0 application fee. No essays/exams.
The field of healthcare is rapidly growing and modernizing, creating a tremendous demand for professionals with skills and knowledge in the application of healthcare information and technology. If you’d like to be one of those that apply digital information to advance healthcare and improve health, the Master of Science in Health Informatics (MSHI) will provide you with a sought-after graduate professional degree in the field. It will prepare you for mid-level and leadership positions within healthcare, technology, and consulting organizations, and ground you in the effective use of information technologies and systems to improve the healthcare ecosystem.
Coursework will encompass areas of information systems, information technology, and informatics, including decision support, care coordination, consumer empowerment, the structured language of healthcare, standards, health information exchange, usability, electronic health records, security, socio-technical aspects of health computing, human-computer interaction, evidence-based practice, and health outcomes.
Degree Requirements
To receive a MS in Health Informatics degree, students must complete at least 54 quarter units of graduate work. A total of 13.5 quarter units of graduate credit may be granted for equivalent graduate work completed at another institution, as it applies to this degree and provided the units were not used in earning another advanced degree. Refer to the section on graduate admissions requirements for specific information regarding application and evaluation.
National University awards credit in quarter units, with each academic year divided into four 12-week quarters.
Each quarter is made up of three 4-week classes, with one class per month. Under the current policy, 4.5 units of credit are awarded for courses.
Core Requirements
11 Courses
U.S. Healthcare System
4.5 Quarter Units
US healthcare system overview, including terminology, components of healthcare delivery systems, financing, personnel, regulation, delivery and consumers. Consideration of the effects of public policy on service.
EHR Meaningful Use
4.5 Quarter Units
Introduces electronic health record (EHR) and communication systems including the application of Meaningful Use criteria to optimize quality and effectiveness of patient care and improve care coordination. Explore care delivery innovations across multiple care settings and specialties using a patient-centric model.
Principles of Info. Systems
4.5 Quarter Units
Overview of information systems with emphasis on establishing a firm foundation for the further study of the core components of the information systems field. This includes the exploration of the interaction of Information Systems with legal, ethical, cultural, human resources, business philosophies and organizational structures.
Biostatistics
4.5 Quarter Units
An introduction to the use of statistical analysis in public health. Provides an understanding of the basic methods and underlying concepts of statistics that are used in public health decision-making. Among topics explored are descriptive statistics, probability, sampling, hypothesis testing and non-parametric statistics.
Healthcare Information Systems
4.5 Quarter Units
Effective data and information technology utilization to improve performance in healthcare organizations: including information systems, databases and analytical tools to structure, analyze and present information; legal and ethical issues affecting management of healthcare information.
Quality Appraisal & Evaluation
4.5 Quarter Units
Prerequisite: HCA 600 and HCA 620
Theoretical and practical frameworks to facilitate the continuous improvement of quality in healthcare organizations. Includes data collection, data planning and evaluation. Introduces multiple approaches, including strategy and outcome measurement. Team development, analytical statistics, and process knowledge are central themes, along with culture transformation.
Public Health Research Methods
4.5 Quarter Units
Fundamentals of research methods and statistical analysis of public health data. Includes principles of research investigation, research design, sampling, measurements, and the use of descriptive and inferential statistics for data analysis and hypothesis testing. Focuses on health survey design, sampling methodologies, questionnaire construction and administration, interviewing, and coding procedures.
System Management and Planning
4.5 Quarter Units
Healthcare information technology lifecycle management and strategic planning; organization and management of informatics support staff and other healthcare professionals to optimize the value from health information technology implementation.
Health Information Exchange
4.5 Quarter Units
Health data standards, sources, representation, terminologies, vocabularies and ontologies to support interoperability of information within and between health care organizations. Health information security practices, privacy, confidentiality, and management of patient rights. Clinical data and process modeling for medical decision making. Policy development and documentation for exchange of health information.
Health Informatics Case Study
4.5 Quarter Units
Prerequisite: HTM 520; HTM 552; HTM 660
Health informatics case study requiring analysis and synthesis of complex human, financial, and technical resources for the strategic use of information technology in a healthcare organization. Students study best practice case studies and make recommendations considering organizational dynamics and technical and market knowledge in a simulated healthcare environment.
Health Informatics Capstone
4.5 Quarter Units
Prerequisite: HTM 680
Two-month capstone project focused on a relevant problem in health informatics theory or practice. Planning and completion of either a data-based research project or other scholarship or creative activity. Grading is by H, S, or U only. Course is eligible for an “IP” grade.
*Please note that prerequisites for HCA and COH courses are not required for students in the MS Health Informatics program. HTM prerequisites are required.
Program Elective
1 Course
Leading Change and Adaptation
4.5 Quarter Units
Course topics will focus on the dynamics of change, organizational redesign, and the essential skills necessary for leaders to initiate corporate and organizational transformations. Resistance and acceptance of change initiatives, including the impact of organizational culture will be examined. Students will strengthen their leadership skills and strategies in order to initiate and implement change through problem-solving experiences across a broad range of organizational contexts.
Public Health Informatics
4.5 Quarter Units
Prerequisite: COH 606
Application of information systems and technology to public health practice and research. Information technologies that support and improve the status of individual and community health. Development, deployment and maintenance of these systems. Effective use of data, information and knowledge tools to build manage, merge, retrieve and analyze public health data.
Healthcare Accounting/Finance
4.5 Quarter Units
Prerequisite: HCA 628
Application of healthcare accounting and finance theories to decisions in healthcare environments. Emphasis on management problems and policy issues regarding allocation of resources, payments systems, capital investments and budgeting.
Healthcare Leadership
4.5 Quarter Units
Prerequisite: HCA 624
Concepts of leadership related to current healthcare organizations. Communications – including public relations – team building, negotiation, and conflict resolution considered. Strategic aspects such as vision, viewpoint, and mission included. Managing uncertainty emphasized.
IT Infrastructure
4.5 Quarter Units
This course includes a careful analysis of the hardware, software and organization needed to provide IT to a domain (organization) with particular emphasis on networks. It is intended that graduates will be better able to contribute to needs analysis for and design and implementation of effective, technically correct IT infrastructure solutions.
Current Topics
4.5 Quarter Units
Prerequisite: CIS 650 with a minimum grade of B. The grade in CIS 650 must be at least a B as that is the required grade for completion of a Graduate Program.
Exploration of a current topic not otherwise covered in the curriculum. Previous offering of this course does not predict future availability; new courses may replace these. Topic varies by term and instructor.
Career Outlook
Data Source: The career outcomes data presented is sourced from Lightcast, which provides insights based on real-time job postings, public datasets, and analytics. Lightcast derives its data from sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), and the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES). While accurate and reliable, this data reflects general labor market trends and may not represent individual outcomes or specific local conditions. For more details on Lightcast’s methodology, visit their Data Overview.
The Master of Science in Health Informatics degree will prepare you for careers such as:
- Top Jobs in this field
- Median Salary (USA)
- JOB Openings (USA)
- Medical Records Specialists
- $48,689 avg. salary (USA)
- 17,749 job openings (past yr.) past year
Most desired skills
- Medical Records
- Billing
- ICD Coding (ICD-9/ICD-10)
- Medical Billing
- Medical Terminology
- CPT Coding
- Medical Coding
Top companies hiring for this role
- Unclassified
- Guidehouse
- UnitedHealth Group
- HCA Healthcare
- TEKsystems
- Banner Health
- Datavant
- Medical and Health Services Managers
- $108,957 avg. salary (USA)
- 63,206 job openings (past yr.) past year
Most desired skills
- Nursing
- Care Coordination
- Medical Records
- Billing
- Electronic Medical Record
- Auditing
- Marketing
Top companies hiring for this role
- Unclassified
- UnitedHealth Group
- HCA Healthcare
- Elevance Health
- Johnson & Johnson
- Optum
- Humana
Program Learning Outcomes
Learn the key skills to help you excel in your field of study.
- Evaluate the healthcare delivery system in the US and the impact of social, cultural, political, economic, and environmental factors affecting the management and operation of healthcare organizations.
- Evaluate health data management standards, technologies and methods to improve the quality, efficiency, equity and safety of healthcare practice and organization.
- Develop policies and technologies to protect data integrity and validity, including information privacy and security policies and procedures.
- Develop strategies for improving healthcare delivery and achieving institutional strategic initiatives using information systems and technologies.
- Evaluate leadership principles and practices in health information technology staff development, technology adoption and change management in a healthcare organization.
- Evaluate a healthcare organization’s processes and systems to ensure compliance with ethical, legal and regulatory mandates and professional standards of health information technology.
- Apply statistical and research methodologies to implement evidence-based health information technology management practice and healthcare quality improvement.
- Communicate knowledge of health information systems and technology to stakeholders of the healthcare ecosystem.
Admissions
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Scholarships and Financial Aid
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Accreditations
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accredits public and private schools, colleges, and universities in the U.S.
Health Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Organizational Affiliate
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Class of 2016
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Our network of 240,000 alumni is a large global community that provides our graduates with the professional connections to get a leg up in your new career.
Additional Resources
Program Disclosure
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