UIC Addresses Growing Need for Health Care Technology Professionals by Offering Health Informatics Master’s Degree Completely Online

Chicago, IL, November 13, 2008 --(PR.com)-- The Department of Biomedical and Health Information Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) began offering a fully online Master of Science in Health Informatics degree in fall 2007, and in just one year enrollment has grown 107 percent, from 32 students to 86 students.

The 45-credit hour program prepares students to shape the cutting-edge technology and processes that are revolutionizing the health care industry. It is one of only three online master’s degree programs to be approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

“This is a program that has great value for health care industry professionals,” said Charlotte (Toby) Tate, dean of the College of Applied Health Sciences. “As the industry continues to move forward to paperless medical, financial and insurance records, it will take well-trained and knowledgeable professionals to develop, implement, and maintain systems to store and manage the information.”

Designed for working professionals who wish to excel in the rapidly-evolving health care industry, this Master’s degree can be completed in as little as 18 months without interrupting the student’s work schedule.

Students receive instruction from permanent, industry-experienced UIC professors rather than instructors who are contracted for short-term assignments, common in some online educational forums. Notably, the program meets the terms of all existing policies, procedures, deadlines and regulations of the University of Illinois at Chicago, giving students a prestigious graduate degree supported by a world-class, research-intensive university.

Blending a technical foundation with coursework covering current clinical trends, government regulations, and health care-specific best management practices, UIC’s curriculum equips students with the analytical and managerial expertise sought after in this dynamic field. The UIC health informatics program was the first in the country to focus not just on technology, but also on the social and organizational factors that often determine whether a technology implementation will be successful in a health care institution.

“Students enter the program to either enhance their current careers or transition into new, more challenging fields,” said associate dean and program director Larry Pawola. “Depending on their work experience, graduates are prepared for a wide range of roles in mid- to high-level management in the health care information setting. Our graduates become chief security officers, systems or application analysts, project managers and IT department directors, just to name a few.”

Alumni of UIC’s health informatics programs (online and classroom) are at the forefront of the industry with employers that include KPMG International, the American Hospital Association, Cerner Corporation, UnitedHealthcare, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and numerous hospital and health provider organizations.

With 25,000 students, 15 colleges and research funded at over $332 million, the University of Illinois at Chicago is the largest university in the Chicago area. Located in the Illinois Medical District, just west of Chicago’s Loop, UIC is a vital part of the educational, technological and cultural fabric of the city. According to U.S. News & World Report, UIC is one of the most diverse and affordable universities in the nation. UIC is a “Best Buy,” accordingly to Barron’s Best Buys in College Education.

For more information, visit online at healthinformatics.uic.edu; or call toll-free: 1-866-674-4843 or 1-866-MSHI-UIC.

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