Health Informatics, MS

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Nicholas Mercado, Graduate Program Director and Co-Executive-in-Residence, 516-463-7017
Adjunct Assistant Professor Behiri, Co-Executive-in-Residence

As defined by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, health informatics is the interdisciplinary study of the design, development, adoption, and application of IT-based innovations in health care services delivery, management, and planning. As a direct outcome, health informaticists are able to take on roles such as health information systems specialists, health data analysts, managers, and consultants in various fields. A few examples of these fields would include health information technology corporations, health care service providers, such as hospitals or integrated delivery networks (IDN) and their business partners as well as public health agencies. This program is designed for aspiring and committed clinicians or IT professionals who are interested in becoming health informaticists or expanding their knowledge in the area of health informatics. Graduates of the program will be familiar with current health information systems and technologies and will be prepared to analyze, design, and manage evolving health information systems for a wide variety of clinical, administrative, and research purposes.

A key and integral part of the program is a 6 s.h. practicum (HIT 300A and 300B ) during which students are assigned to rotations at affiliated health information system departments at locations, such as Northwell Health and other health systems. Practicum provides students with hands-on experience in many health informatics areas, such as electronic medical records, health information exchange and integration, and data analytics, among other options. Located in various settings, these health information system rotations offer training in all disciplines of health informatics and provide the opportunity for exposure and hands on experience in a wide variety of health care related information systems.

Admission Requirements

A completed online application form to the master’s program.
Baccalaureate undergraduate degree from an accredited institution of higher learning, including submission of all transcripts from undergraduate institutions.
Minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0.
Two letters of reference addressing the applicant’s potential for success in graduate school and the health informatics field.
Written personal statement identifying areas of interest and reasons for seeking advanced training in health informatics.
Resume or CV.
Interview with program director and/or other program faculty member may be required.
International applicants for whom English is not their first language must submit TOEFL scores;

Provisional Acceptance:
Students with less than a 3.0 GPA may be admitted provisionally pending review of additional requested academic performance or other material by the program director. Provisionally admitted students must earn a minimum grade of ‘B’ in each of the first 12 semester hours of course work.

Program Requirements – Semester Hours: 41

The curriculum consists of 41 semester hours with 35 semester hours of classroom instruction and 6 semester hours of practicum. Students are required to successfully complete all courses listed under Core Competencies (11 s.h.) and Advanced Core Competencies (9 s.h.) as well as 9 semester hours of Program Electives. In addition, students must successfully complete two courses (6 s.h.) in either the IT Track or Clinical Track and the Practicum Integrative Course (6 s.h.). Course substitution is possible with the program director’s consent. The Advanced Core Tracks are designed to assist students with selecting courses based on their experience and knowledge; however students are free to choose any two out of the four courses listed in the Advanced Core Tracks.

Core Competencies – Semester Hours: 11

HIT 200 - Introduction to Health Informatics Semester Hours: 2
HADM 200 - U.S. Health System Semester Hours: 3
HADM 242 - Health Information Systems Semester Hours: 3
HADM 250 - Data Analytics in Health Services Administration Semester Hours: 3

Advanced Core – Semester Hours: 9

HIT 210 - Clinical Decision Support and Clinical Decision Support Systems Semester Hours: 2
HIT 211 - Security and Privacy in Health Informatics Semester Hours: 2
HIT 212 - Clinical Data – Standards, and Standards Development, and Interoperability in Health Semester Hours: 2
HIT 213 - Strategic and Financial Planning for Health Information Systems Semester Hours: 3

Advanced Core Tracks – Semester Hours: 6

The Advanced Core Tracks are designed to assist students with selecting courses based on their experience and knowledge; however students are free to choose any two out of the four courses listed below.

IT Track

HIT 214 - Evidence-Based Patient Care Semester Hours: 3
HADM 221 - Hospital Organization and Administration Semester Hours: 3

Clinical Track

IT 215 - Database Management Systems Semester Hours: 3
IT 206 - Systems Analysis and Design Semester Hours: 3

Program Electives – Semester Hours: 9

Recommended electives are listed below. Other relevant course work not listed here may be chosen under advisement and with permission of graduate program director.

HADM 206 - Health Services Organizational Behavior and Analysis Semester Hours: 3
HADM 209 - Health Management Leadership Semester Hours: 3
HIT 216 - Emerging Trends in Health Information Systems Semester Hours: 3
HIT 217 - Health Care Information Technology Project Management Semester Hours: 3
HIT 218 - Research in Health Information Management Semester Hours: 3
HIT 219 - Introduction to Public Health Informatics Semester Hours: 3

Practicum Integrative Course Work– Semester Hours: 6

HIT 300A - Integrative Health Informatics Practicum I Semester Hours: 3
HIT 300B - Integrative Health Informatics Practicum II Semester Hours: 3

Executive Standing - IT Track and Clinical Track

Students with sufficient background in an appropriate IT field or clinical profession may be eligible to take six fewer credits through the Executive Standing Option, at the discretion of the Graduate Program Director. (Students’ prior academic degree and professional experience(s) will determine specific course requirements; HIT 300A and 300B cannot be waived.)

Transfer Credit

At the discretion of the Graduate Program Director, students may transfer up to 12 semester hours of equivalent graduate courses from a comparable graduate program at an accredited higher education institution.

Course work must have been completed within the last five years, with minimum grades of B.

Graduation Requirements

Successful completion of all course requirements for the degree, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. No more than two courses with grades below B- will be counted toward the degree requirements.

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