Health Informatics Degrees

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 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. The GRE is not required for admission to either program.

• Location: Kent, OH
• Duration: 12 to 24 months
• Tuition: $725 per credit (residents); $735 (non-residents)
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

Louisiana Tech University (MS in Health Informatics)

Louisiana Tech University in Ruston offers an online master of science in health informatics 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.

• Location: Ruston, LA
• Duration: Two years
• Tuition: $714 per credit
• Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)

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 or Portland. Students in this program take courses in database design, computer networks, systems analysis, and healthcare information technology (IT).

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.

• Location: Klamath Falls & Portland, OR
• Duration: Four years
• Tuition: $9,572 per year
• Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)

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.

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.

• Location: Chicago, IL
• Duration: Two years
• Tuition: $750 per credit
• Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)

University of Maryland Global Campus (MS in Health Informatics Administration)

The University of Maryland Global Campus is an affordable option with local prestige. The program comprises 36 credits that allow students to gain experience in information science and health care administration. Students must have three years of professional healthcare experience or information tech in a healthcare setting to apply.

This program is an approved education partner of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, and graduates are eligible to sit for the CAHIMS/CPHIMS certification exams.

• Location: Largo, MD
• Duration: two years
• Tuition: $694 per credit
• Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)

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.

• Location: Jackson, MS
• Duration: 1.5 to four years
• Tuition: $13,092 for three semesters
• Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)

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).

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.