Health Informatics Degrees
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“Health informatics specialists serve as the ‘translator’ between clinical teams and technology teams, as someone who ‘speaks both languages.’”
Rebecca Meehan, PhD, Associate Professor at iSchool at Kent State University
The advancement of technology is impacting healthcare providers’ ability to diagnose and treat patients. New medical devices can help monitor symptoms; cutting-edge techniques can offer relief to patients who were once unable to find it, and the data that healthcare providers collect can help improve healthcare delivery to all.
With sophisticated internal pacemakers and wearable external technology, health information is poised to grow the knowledge base of common medical conditions and reduce their pervasive effects.
Examples of these consumer products include glucose monitors that help diabetic patients consistently monitor their blood sugar without skin pricks, and Apple Watches allow people to watch and share their vital signs, noting when blood oxygen levels, pulse, sleep, and physical activity are present. As healthcare data becomes more precise and plentiful, the field of health informatics is predicted to rise to protect consumers and help people and their loved ones manage chronic health conditions with more ease.
A health informatics degree program teaches students how best to collect, store, retrieve, and analyze complex health data to improve patient outcomes and advocate for the best possible treatment protocols. Because healthcare providers are collecting an increasing amount of data from year to year, the need for health informatics professionals is expected to increase over the next decade.
Although getting an entry-level job in the healthcare informatics field with just an associate degree is possible, the most competitive and best-paying positions will require a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Fortunately, there are many reputable programs available to interested applicants. In addition, both on-campus and online programs are available, making it possible for anyone dedicated to learning to earn their degree and start a career in this growing field.
Read more about this growing data-driven career and on-campus and online health informatics degree and certificate programs.
Ask the Expert: Rebecca Meehan, PhD
Dr. Rebecca Meehan is an associate professor at iSchool at Kent State University. She has an extensive background in research related to healthcare and health informatics, particularly focused on information technology and user experience. Her interests center on improving patient safety outcomes by improving the user experience of health information technology and sociotechnical approaches to improving health outcomes for a diverse cultural population.
Dr. Meehan bridges academic research to industry applications and standards. Her previous experience includes senior research roles with Intuit, Inc., a Fortune 500 company, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and the Department of Sociology. She has also served as senior research scientist at Myers Research Institute of Menorah Park Center for Senior Living and senior research associate at Innovative Designs in Environments for an Aging Society (I.D.E.A.S., Inc.).
Dr. Meehan holds a BS in biology from St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame; a master’s and a PhD in sociology from Case Western Reserve University, with concentrations in medical sociology and gerontology.
MedicalTechnologySchools.com: What is something you wish the public understood about health informatics?
Dr. Meehan: Health informatics (HI) is the science of using data and information to improve health and care (AMIA.org). You don’t need to be a clinician to be a health informatics specialist. Yes, there is a strong need for clinicians who are HI specialists (nursing informatics, clinical informatics, pharmacy informatics, etc.), but we also need people who are good at data analysis, communication, and project management, and who may not have any healthcare experience.
Both clinical specialists and those with other training (e.g., computer science, data science, business management, life sciences, social & behavioral science, education, etc.) have earned their master’s degree in health informatics and are working in the HI field. Health informatics specialists serve as the “translator” between clinical teams and technology teams, as someone who “speaks both languages.”
MedicalTechnologySchools: What advice would you give to aspiring students in health informatics?
Dr. Meehan: There is not just one place to work as a health informaticist. My new book, Making a Difference: Careers in Health Informatics, is co-authored by John Sharp and speaks to opportunities in the health informatics field.
You can apply your health informatics skills in many domains, including hospitals, health IT companies/start-ups, senior care, insurance companies/payers, research/government agencies, and consulting groups. Don’t get hung up on the title of a job, as sometimes the word “informaticist” may not be in the title, but you are doing informatics work.
MedicalTechnologySchools.com: What does the future of health informatics look like to you?
Dr. Meehan: The health informatics field is growing. Because of the proliferation of new technologies, like apps on our mobile phones or other devices, wearable health monitors, artificial intelligence, and smart technology in general, we have many more opportunities to collect data about our health. We need the ability to gather and monitor our health data in a private, secure, and informed way to gain insights from this data to manage our health, support the health of others in our community, create new medicines, or prevent a pandemic.
We are different consumers of healthcare than we were in the past. Patients are integrating the management of health data into our daily lives, outside of clinical visits, perhaps through monitoring the number of steps we take in a day, our sleep patterns, or our blood glucose levels. Health informaticists will continue to help facilitate improved health and healthcare by leveraging this data and information.
Health Informatics Degree & Certification Programs
Evaluating health informatics programs can be a challenge because many programs have similar names. Health informatics programs are commonly offered at the bachelor of science (BS) and master of science (MS) levels. Nursing informatics is also a widely offered degree available to those already licensed as registered nurses (RNs).
Associate degree programs with similar curriculums but not the same depth as health informatics programs are typically described as health information management (HIM) or health information technology degrees. While these associate-level programs can undoubtedly lead to fulfilling careers, they do not constitute an education in health informatics.
Applicants should also be advised that a BS in health informatics usually requires a significant internship or practical component, which is necessary to gain the clinical hours to be a certified health information technician.
A master’s degree program is available from several well-known schools for students interested in management or more advanced health information technology specialties. Although this degree program does not always require an internship, it may only be available for students with significant healthcare experience. The following is a selection of on-campus health informatics programs available to students in the US.
On-Campus Health Informatics Programs
Oregon Health & Science University (Graduate Certificate, MS, PhD in Clinical Informatics)
At Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, students in the Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology can choose from two graduate-level informatics programs. The 24-credit graduate certificate is designed for clinicians and healthcare administration professionals to learn about biomedical informatics and how professionals can apply it to patient health.
The 55-credit master’s program has held accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) since 2012. The curriculum is designed to meet the needs of both healthcare professionals who want further training in informatics and non-healthcare professionals who wish to pursue a deeper understanding of how information technology impacts healthcare delivery.
The certificate includes courses such as introduction to biomedical informatics; clinical information systems; and organizational behavior and management. Coursework in the master’s program includes health and clinical informatics; health care; evaluative sciences; organizational behavior and project management; and computer science. The 135-credit PhD program includes courses in clinical research design; core knowledge of biomedical informatics; doctoral symposium; mentored teaching; and advanced research methods.
- Location: Portland, OR
- Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU); Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two years
Temple University (MS in Health Informatics)
Temple University, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a very notable school that offers thorough training in health information management and health informatics. This 36-credit master of science (MS) program in health informatics includes courses such as fundamentals of health informatics; applications of computer programming in health informatics; database administration for health informatics professionals; health data analysis; technology for healthcare financial management; global health informatics; and political and economic aspects of health.
Temple University also offers a dual degree program awarding an MS in health informatics (MSHI) and master of public health (MPH), which can be completed in three to four years on-campus, online, or in a hybrid format.
- Location: Philadelphia, PA
- Accreditation: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools; Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM); Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two years
University of Central Florida (BS in Health Informatics and Information Management)
The University of Central Florida, located in Orlando, is a flexible option for students who want to complete most of their degrees online. However, internships with UCF-affiliated partners are required to graduate from this program. The program’s 60-credit curriculum includes courses such as foundations of HIM; fundamentals of HIT; principles of managed care; medical terminology; health data management; healthcare finance; quality management; management affiliation; and HIM systems.
Combining practical experience with classroom theory, the program will help students learn about systems analysis, business management, computer applications in healthcare, and medical coding and will be able to apply their knowledge and skills in real-world settings.
In the academic year 2020-2021, the graduation rate was 94.3 percent, and 97 percent of graduates found employment within one year of completing the program. In addition, a fully online MS in healthcare informatics program is available.
- Location: Orlando, FL
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
- Expected Time to Completion: Four years
University of Michigan (MS, Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics)
The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is a highly-ranked school that offers a two-year, 52-credit master in health informatics (MHI) program. This MHI program includes an intensive internship portion that gives students the ability to see health informatics in use and apply what they have learned in real-world scenarios.
The curriculum includes courses such as introduction to health informatics; evaluation methods in health informatics and learning systems; managing health informatics; the health services system; organization & management of health advocacy & community-based non-profits; comprehensive healthcare strategies; consumer health informatics; population health informatics; designing consumer health technologies; and applied clinical informatics.
Students enrolled in another graduate program can also complete a 15-credit graduate certificate in health informatics concurrent with their master’s program. In addition, self-initiated dual degree programs are available to students who want to pursue courses of study covering two related health informatics disciplines.
- Location: Ann Arbor, MI
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: One to two years
University of San Francisco (MS in Digital Health Informatics)
The School of Nursing and Health Professions at the University of San Francisco offers a master of science in digital health informatics. This program emphasizes mobile health, digital therapeutics, telehealth, and advanced analytics for healthcare. Global health is a critical element.
Students in this 36-credit program take courses in global health informatics; perspective health informatics; digital health entrepreneur; consumer health informatics; project in health informatics; epidemiology; healthcare systems leadership; and healthcare policy and ethics. Graduates from this program have a 95 job placement rate.
To get accepted into the program, applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited program, unofficial transcripts from all colleges or universities attended, a grade point average of 3.0, two letters of recommendation, a professional resume, a statement of career goals, and TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE scores for international students.
- Location: San Francisco, CA
- Accreditation: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two years
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (MS in Health Informatics)
The School of Biomedical Sciences at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas offers a master’s of health informatics geared toward clinicians, IT professionals, and computer and data scientists.
The curriculum follows the ten domains set forth by the American Medical Informatics Association and includes courses in clinical thinking; the U.S. healthcare system; health information technology; evidence-based medicine and clinical decision support; data analytics; biomedical and basic science informatics; workflow process analysis system development, human factors, and usability; health information management; and project management & clinical system life cycle.
Students can complete the program in two years full-time or 2.5 years part-time. In addition, a capstone research experience is required to gain field experience applying academic knowledge to existing problems in healthcare informatics.
- Location: Dallas, TX
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two to 2.5 years
List of Health Informatics Schools
| School | City | State | Website | GRADS ('21) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temple University | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | https://www.temple.edu | 55 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor | Michigan | https://umich.edu | 55 |
| Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis | Indianapolis | Indiana | https://www.iupui.edu | 52 |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | https://uwm.edu | 51 |
| Stony Brook University | Stony Brook | New York | https://www.stonybrook.edu | 43 |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | Cincinnati | Ohio | https://www.uc.edu | 43 |
| University of South Alabama | Mobile | Alabama | https://www.southalabama.edu | 43 |
| Kent State University at Kent | Kent | Ohio | https://www.kent.edu | 37 |
| Duke University | Durham | North Carolina | https://duke.edu | 37 |
| Adelphi University | Garden City | New York | https://www.adelphi.edu | 34 |
| Stanford University | Stanford | California | https://www.stanford.edu | 33 |
| University of Utah | Salt Lake City | Utah | https://www.utah.edu | 31 |
| Harvard University | Cambridge | Massachusetts | https://www.harvard.edu | 31 |
| Nova Southeastern University | Fort Lauderdale | Florida | https://www.nova.edu | 28 |
| Kennesaw State University | Kennesaw | Georgia | https://www.kennesaw.edu | 26 |
| Northwestern University | Evanston | Illinois | https://www.northwestern.edu | 25 |
| SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University | Brooklyn | New York | https://www.downstate.edu | 25 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill | North Carolina | https://www.unc.edu | 24 |
| Lipscomb University | Nashville | Tennessee | https://www.lipscomb.edu | 23 |
| University of San Francisco | San Francisco | California | https://www.usfca.edu | 22 |
| University of Missouri-Columbia | Columbia | Missouri | https://missouri.edu | 22 |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Charlotte | North Carolina | https://www.charlotte.edu | 21 |
| University of New England | Biddeford | Maine | https://www.une.edu | 20 |
| Northern Kentucky University | Highland Heights | Kentucky | https://www.nku.edu | 19 |
| Marshall University | Huntington | West Virginia | https://www.marshall.edu | 18 |
| Oregon Health & Science University | Portland | Oregon | https://www.ohsu.edu | 18 |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus | Indiana | Pennsylvania | https://www.iup.edu | 15 |
| Saint Louis University | Saint Louis | Missouri | https://www.slu.edu | 15 |
| Hofstra University | Hempstead | New York | https://www.hofstra.edu | 14 |
| Pierce College District | Lakewood | Washington | https://www.pierce.ctc.edu | 13 |
| University of Miami | Coral Gables | Florida | https://welcome.miami.edu | 13 |
| Harrisburg Area Community College | Harrisburg | Pennsylvania | https://www.hacc.edu | 12 |
| Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center | Lubbock | Texas | https://www.ttuhsc.edu | 11 |
| Drexel University | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | https://drexel.edu | 10 |
| University at Buffalo | Buffalo | New York | https://www.buffalo.edu | 9 |
| University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | https://www.upenn.edu | 9 |
| Georgetown University | Washington | District of Columbia | https://www.georgetown.edu | 9 |
| University of Michigan-Dearborn | Dearborn | Michigan | https://umdearborn.edu | 8 |
| The University of Texas at Tyler | Tyler | Texas | https://www.uttyler.edu | 8 |
| Columbia State Community College | Columbia | Tennessee | https://www.columbiastate.edu | 8 |
| CUNY Brooklyn College | Brooklyn | New York | https://www.brooklyn.edu | 7 |
| Clemson University | Clemson | South Carolina | https://www.clemson.edu | 7 |
| University of California-Davis | Davis | California | https://www.ucdavis.edu | 7 |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus | Seattle | Washington | https://www.washington.edu | 6 |
| New England College | Henniker | New Hampshire | https://www.nec.edu | 6 |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville | Tennessee | https://www.vanderbilt.edu | 5 |
| Grand Valley State University | Allendale | Michigan | https://www.gvsu.edu | 5 |
| University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences | Little Rock | Arkansas | https://www.uams.edu | 4 |
| Rogue Community College | Grants Pass | Oregon | https://www.roguecc.edu | 4 |
| Medical University of South Carolina | Charleston | South Carolina | https://web.musc.edu | 4 |
| University of Denver | Denver | Colorado | https://www.du.edu | 3 |
| Montana Technological University | Butte | Montana | https://www.mtech.edu | 3 |
| Bergen Community College | Paramus | New Jersey | https://bergen.edu | 2 |
| East Tennessee State University | Johnson City | Tennessee | https://www.etsu.edu/ehome | 2 |
| Governors State University | University Park | Illinois | https://www.govst.edu | 2 |
| Northeastern University | Boston | Massachusetts | https://www.northeastern.edu | 2 |
| Loyola University Chicago | Chicago | Illinois | https://www.luc.edu | 2 |
| Bellevue College | Bellevue | Washington | https://www.bellevuecollege.edu | 1 |
| Francis Marion University | Florence | South Carolina | https://www.fmarion.edu | 1 |
| Idaho State University | Pocatello | Idaho | https://www.isu.edu | 1 |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver | Denver | Colorado | https://www.msudenver.edu | 1 |
| Mountwest Community and Technical College | Huntington | West Virginia | https://www.mctc.edu | 1 |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | Rochester | New York | https://www.rit.edu | 1 |
| University of Massachusetts-Boston | Boston | Massachusetts | https://www.umb.edu | 1 |
| University of Iowa | Iowa City | Iowa | https://uiowa.edu | 1 |
| University of Illinois Chicago | Chicago | Illinois | https://www.uic.edu | 1 |
| The University of Montana | Missoula | Montana | https://www.umt.edu | 1 |
Hybrid & Online Health Informatics Programs
Since health informatics is a technology-driven degree, there are many options for students offered entirely online. The availability of online and hybrid programs depends on the level of education being pursued, with master’s level programs being much more common in the online or hybrid format.
Below is a selection of health informatics programs that have been accredited by the CAHIIM, which may be required for specific certifications. The CAHIIM program directory has a list of all online learning programs that are accredited.
Kent State University (MS, Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics)
Kent State Online offers a fully online master’s degree and a graduate certificate in health informatics. Students in these programs learn from award-winning faculty and can complete the certificate program in less than a year.
The 18-credit certificate includes seven-week courses taken in sequence and small class sizes and leads to careers in healthcare, educational services, and technology. The 36-credit master’s program can be completed in as few as 24 months and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). The GRE is not required for admission to either program.
Admission requirements include a completed online application, a bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, official transcripts, three letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, and a current resume. The curriculum includes courses such as health informatics management; legal issues in health informatics; health information systems; health records management; clinical analytics; and human factors and usability in health informatics.
- Location: Kent, OH
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC); Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
- Expected Time to Completion: MS (24 months); certificate (12 months)
Louisiana Tech University (MS in Health Informatics)
Louisiana Tech University in Ruston offers an online master of science in health informatics and information management through its college of applied and natural sciences. Although the school notes that admission is competitive, the GRE is not required for this program. However, students should have completed a bachelor’s degree in health information management or a related field to apply. Graduates from this program have a 100 percent job placement rate within six months of graduation.
Made up of 39 credits, the program includes courses such as healthcare compliance; database architecture; medical vocab and class systems; health informatics advanced statistical methods; project management; evaluation of information systems; consumer health informatics; and EHR infrastructure, among others.
- Location: Ruston, LA
- Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM); Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two years
Oregon Institute of Technology (BS in Health Informatics)
Oregon Tech, also known as the Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT), offers a fully online bachelor of science at two campuses in Klamath Falls and Portland. This program has a 95 percent job placement rate for graduates. Students are prepared to design, implement, and support computer systems in healthcare, including information management, patient monitoring and reporting, and medical education and research.
Students in this 182-credit program take courses in medical terminology; health care management; principles of macro and micro economics; relational database design; business analytics; advanced database app programming; healthcare information systems management; statistical methods in epidemiology; strategic management; data mining; and organizational behavior.
- Location: Klamath Falls & Portland, OR
- Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
- Expected Time to Completion: Four years
University of Illinois at Chicago (MS in Health Informatics)
The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Public Health, Nursing, and Computer programs are some of the best in the nation. This school is noted for its flexibility, offering a 100 percent online MS option and a hybrid research degree option. The major admission requirements for the program include a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, a GPA of 3.0, and registrar-issued transcripts (copies) from all colleges or universities attended.
In addition, this is a CAHIIM-approved program, meaning that graduates are eligible to take the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) exam offered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). The 38-credit program offers three concentrations in consumer and mobile health, health data science, and leadership.
The curriculum of the program includes courses such as healthcare data; information sources in biomedical & health information sciences; communication skills in health informatics; ethics & legal issues in health informatics; healthcare information systems; management of healthcare communication systems; and health information systems analysis & design.
Notably, the university also offers a 24-credit post-master’s certificate in health informatics (PMC HI) and several post-baccalaureate certificates in health informatics (PBC HI).
- Location: Chicago, IL
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC); Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
- Expected Time to Completion: Two years
University of Mississippi Medical Center (BS in Health Informatics and Information Management)
The University of Mississippi Medical Centers offers online delivery for four health informatics and information (HIIM) programs. The bachelor’s programs are divided into traditional and progression. The traditional program allows students new to the health informatics field to earn a bachelor’s degree online. In contrast, the progression program is designed for those who already hold the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) credential.
Both programs feature online coursework and have been accredited by the CAHIIM. The master’s degree program offers two tracks: health informatics (HI) and health information management (HIM), both of which require 36 credits for graduation. The post-baccalaureate certificate in health informatics can be completed in three semesters and requires 10 hours of courses with a grade of “B” or higher.
The curriculum of the health informatics track includes courses in healthcare delivery and policy; health information and computer science; data architecture, analytics, & visualization; health informatics; leadership strategies in health informatics; development of electronic health information systems; epidemiology and public health informatics; applied healthcare statistics; and privacy and security for health informatics.
- Location: Jackson, MS
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
- Expected Time to Completion: 1.5 to four years
| School | City | State | Website | GRADS ('21) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capella University | Minneapolis | Minnesota | https://www.capella.edu | 205 |
| University of South Florida | Tampa | Florida | https://www.usf.edu | 82 |
| George Mason University | Fairfax | Virginia | https://www.gmu.edu | 62 |
| University of San Diego | San Diego | California | https://www.sandiego.edu | 56 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor | Michigan | https://umich.edu | 55 |
| Temple University | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | https://www.temple.edu | 55 |
| The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston | Houston | Texas | https://www.uth.edu | 54 |
| Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis | Indianapolis | Indiana | https://www.iupui.edu | 52 |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | https://uwm.edu | 51 |
| Rutgers University-New Brunswick | New Brunswick | New Jersey | https://newbrunswick.rutgers.edu | 50 |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | Cincinnati | Ohio | https://www.uc.edu | 43 |
| Kent State University at Kent | Kent | Ohio | https://www.kent.edu | 37 |
| Northeastern University Professional Programs | Boston | Massachusetts | https://www.northeastern.edu | 36 |
| Stanford University | Stanford | California | https://www.stanford.edu | 33 |
| University of Utah | Salt Lake City | Utah | https://www.utah.edu | 31 |
| Sacred Heart University | Fairfield | Connecticut | https://www.sacredheart.edu | 27 |
| Northwestern University | Evanston | Illinois | https://www.northwestern.edu | 25 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill | North Carolina | https://www.unc.edu | 24 |
| University of South Carolina-Upstate | Spartanburg | South Carolina | https://www.uscupstate.edu | 24 |
| Texas Woman's University | Denton | Texas | https://twu.edu | 23 |
| DePaul University | Chicago | Illinois | https://www.depaul.edu | 23 |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Charlotte | North Carolina | https://www.charlotte.edu | 21 |
| University of New England | Biddeford | Maine | https://www.une.edu | 20 |
| The University of Findlay | Findlay | Ohio | https://www.findlay.edu | 20 |
| East Carolina University | Greenville | North Carolina | https://www.ecu.edu | 20 |
| Harrisburg University of Science and Technology | Harrisburg | Pennsylvania | https://www.harrisburgu.edu | 20 |
| Northern Kentucky University | Highland Heights | Kentucky | https://www.nku.edu | 19 |
| Florida International University | Miami | Florida | https://www.fiu.edu | 19 |
| Marshall University | Huntington | West Virginia | https://www.marshall.edu | 18 |
| Oregon Health & Science University | Portland | Oregon | https://www.ohsu.edu | 18 |
| National University | La Jolla | California | https://www.nu.edu | 17 |
| University of South Carolina-Columbia | Columbia | South Carolina | https://www.sc.edu | 16 |
| SUNY College at Oswego | Oswego | New York | https://ww1.oswego.edu | 14 |
| Tennessee Technological University | Cookeville | Tennessee | https://www.tntech.edu | 13 |
| Brandeis University | Waltham | Massachusetts | https://www.brandeis.edu | 13 |
| Walden University | Minneapolis | Minnesota | https://www.waldenu.edu | 12 |
| University of North Georgia | Dahlonega | Georgia | https://ung.edu | 12 |
| University of Southern Indiana | Evansville | Indiana | https://www.usi.edu | 12 |
| St Catherine University | Saint Paul | Minnesota | https://www.stkate.edu | 11 |
| The College of Saint Scholastica | Duluth | Minnesota | https://www.css.edu | 11 |
| Regis University | Denver | Colorado | https://www.regis.edu | 10 |
| Drexel University | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | https://drexel.edu | 10 |
| Community College of Baltimore County | Baltimore | Maryland | https://www.ccbcmd.edu | 9 |
| Western Michigan University | Kalamazoo | Michigan | https://wmich.edu | 9 |
| Michigan Technological University | Houghton | Michigan | https://www.mtu.edu | 9 |
| Loma Linda University | Loma Linda | California | https://llu.edu | 8 |
| Tufts University | Medford | Massachusetts | https://www.tufts.edu | 7 |
| University of Scranton | Scranton | Pennsylvania | https://www.scranton.edu | 6 |
| Samford University | Birmingham | Alabama | https://www.samford.edu | 6 |
| King University | Bristol | Tennessee | https://www.king.edu | 6 |
| Western Kentucky University | Bowling Green | Kentucky | https://www.wku.edu | 5 |
| Ohio University-Main Campus | Athens | Ohio | https://www.ohio.edu | 4 |
| University of Kansas | Lawrence | Kansas | https://ku.edu | 3 |
| Montana Technological University | Butte | Montana | https://www.mtech.edu | 3 |
| University of Mary | Bismarck | North Dakota | https://www.umary.edu | 3 |
| University of North Florida | Jacksonville | Florida | https://www.unf.edu | 2 |
| Roane State Community College | Harriman | Tennessee | https://www.roanestate.edu | 2 |
| Logan University | Chesterfield | Missouri | https://www.logan.edu | 2 |
| University of the Sciences | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | https://www.sju.edu | 2 |
| Franklin University | Columbus | Ohio | https://www.franklin.edu | 2 |
| Excelsior College | Albany | New York | https://www.excelsior.edu | 2 |
| Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences | Lancaster | Pennsylvania | https://www.pacollege.edu | 1 |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus | Columbus | Ohio | https://www.osu.edu | 1 |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | Rochester | New York | https://www.rit.edu | 1 |
| Idaho State University | Pocatello | Idaho | https://www.isu.edu | 1 |
| Georgia Southwestern State University | Americus | Georgia | https://www.gsw.edu | 1 |
| West Coast University-Dallas | Dallas | Texas | https://westcoastuniversity.edu | 1 |
| West Coast University-Orange County | Anaheim | California | https://westcoastuniversity.edu | 1 |
| Cleveland State Community College | Cleveland | Tennessee | https://www.clevelandstatecc.edu | 1 |
| Xavier University | Cincinnati | Ohio | https://www.xavier.edu | 1 |
Health Informatics Core & Elective Courses
Besides core courses like English, math, and science, each health informatics program has vital components.
- Health data management – Students learn the structure and use of health information and advanced healthcare record management in this course. Topics covered include electronic health record-keeping, documentation guidelines, and regulatory compliance. Essential data collection tools and methodologies will also be discussed.
- Health information communication technology – Students in this course will learn the function of computer systems for healthcare operations and medical vocabulary, and the infrastructure of the National Healthcare Information System.
- Health information systems – This course teaches students the many clinical, administrative, and specialty options available to Healthcare Informatics Specialists, including bioinformatics, organizational informatics, and clinical informatics. Students will apply data mining concepts and techniques, learn data storage and retrieval strategies, and overcome common data security problems.
- Quality management & performance improvement – In this course, students gain an advanced understanding of applying quality improvement tools and evaluating documentation to ensure that it meets quality standards. This course will also cover risk management for medical information, credentialing, and how to create facility-wide quality assurance programs.
- Capstone or practicum – A practicum, capstone, or internship is vital for many program requirements. This may mean a research paper or a set of replacement courses for online programs, while for on-campus programs, the practicum element may require up to 400 hours of professional, on-site clinical work.
Health Informatics Program Accreditation – CAHIIM
To obtain a job as a health informatics specialist, it is not necessary to complete a program accredited explicitly by a programmatic accrediting body. However, most mid-level and top-level positions will be filled by those credentialed by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).
To receive the individual AHIMA credential of Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) or Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT), students will need to complete a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
CAHIIM accredits health information manager (HIM) and health informatics (HI) programs, including undergraduate and graduate-level programs. The process is specific to each level of education, although the targeted primary program outcomes are the same. Programs that CAHIIM has approved focus on a curriculum that appropriately teaches the information systems, social-technical aspects of information-sharing, and the technology involved in managing healthcare information.
In addition to curriculum overview, all approved health informatics degree programs must undergo several on-site evaluations to ensure that the educators, curriculum, and technology components are up to national standards. The CAHIIM also provides that each program element will successfully prepare students to sit for the AHIMA exams.
Not only must a college be accredited by CAHIIM, but a regional or national accrediting body must also accredit it. For example, distance education courses should be accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). In addition, on-campus programs must be accredited by an organization approved by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Career Outlook
The career outlook for healthcare information specialists is strong. The need for medical records specialists and health information technologists — just two career categories that utilize health informatics — are projected to grow at 8 percent and 16 percent respectively, both faster than the national average (BLS 2023).
| Career Facts | Health Informatics |
|---|---|
| Related Careers | Computer and Information Systems Manager, Nursing Information Systems Coordinator |
| Common Job Titles | Clinical Informatics Director, Clinical Informatics Strategist, Director of Health Information Management, Director of Health Information Technology, Health Information Director |
| Technology & Equipment | Medical Imaging Database Systems, Medical Software, Medical Picture Archiving Systems, Computers |
| Sourced from BLS, October 2022 | |
How Much Do Health Informatics Professionals Make?
There are a wide array of careers for health informatics professionals to pursue. The numbers below are from data reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2023—the latest figures available as of May 2024—for two related job titles.
Medical Records Specialists
- Number employed in the U.S.: 185,690
- Average annual salary (mean): $53,690
- 10th percentile: $35,080
- 25th percentile: $39,620
- 50th percentile (median): $48,780
- 75th percentile: $61,960
- 90th percentile: $77,810
Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars
- Number employed in the U.S.: 34,430
- Average annual salary (mean): $70,260
- 10th percentile: $38,310
- 25th percentile: $46,580
- 50th percentile (median): $62,990
- 75th percentile: $86,950
- 90th percentile: $107,650
Health Informatics Licensing & Certification
Although it is not strictly required to be licensed or certified to become a healthcare informatics specialist, students who complete certification requirements will be much more competitive in the field.
The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) is the most prestigious and well-known licensing body for healthcare informatics professionals. They provide students with a standardized test to demonstrate their mastery of the field.
The Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) credential requires that students pass an exam to earn the designation of Registered Health Information Technician. Students must complete a qualifying program from a school accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) to sit for this exam. Usually, this means at least a two-year investment towards a healthcare informatics degree, either at a US college or a foreign school that meets the CAHIIM reciprocity agreement.
For students who pursue a bachelor’s degree in health informatics, there is a higher level of certification available through AHIMA. These students are eligible to sit for the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) exam, which is necessary for top-level management positions. This certification is also only available to those who have completed programs approved by CAHIIM.
