Health informatics, MS

Health informatics, one of the most high-demand sectors in information technology, is transforming the healthcare industry and improving the quality of patient care. The Master of Science (MS) in Health Informatics at Hofstra University is designed for aspiring and committed clinicians or IT professionals who want to add the value of an advanced expertise in health informatics to their careers. An integral part of the program is a practicum where students gain hands-on experience in health systems, such as Northwell Health. Scholarships are available for qualified candidates.

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.

Health informaticists are, in many cases, central to the planning, implementation and evaluation of new and existing policies and procedures meant to address trends in the dynamic health services landscape.

Graduates of the Master of Science in Health Informatics program go on to careers in health services and as healthcare administrators in a number of diverse settings, including:

• hospitals
• managed care organizations
• ambulatory care
• long-term care
• home healthcare facilities
• health insurance firms
• pharmaceutical agencies
• consulting firms
• electronic health records
• government agencies (local, state, and federal)
• nonprofit/community organizations

Positions can be held in the following areas:

• pharmacy informatics
• nursing informatics
• allied health informatics
• population health informatics
• behavioral health informatics
• systems analysis
• human resources
• operations management
• project management
• quality control and improvement
• data management/research
• policy development
• information technology
• strategic/financial planning
• artificial intelligence development
• cyber-security
• forecasting analytics

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 school hours) and Advanced Core Competencies (12 school hours) as well as 6 semester hours of Program Electives. In addition, students must successfully complete two courses (6 school hours) in either the IT Track or Clinical Track and the Practicum Integrative Course (6 school hours). A 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
• HADM 200 - U.S. Health System
• HADM 242 - Health Information Systems
• HADM 250 - Data Analytics in Health Services Administration

Advanced Core – Semester Hours: 12

• HIT 210 - Clinical Decision Support Systems
• HIT 211 - Security and Privacy in Health Informatics
• HIT 213 - Strategic and Financial Planning for Health Information Systems
• HIT 217 - Health Care Project Management

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
• HADM 221 - Hospital Organization and Administration

Clinical Track

• IT 215 - Database Management Systems
• IT 206 - Systems Analysis and Design

Program Electives – Semester Hours: 6

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

• HADM 206 - Health Services Organizational Behavior and Analysis
• HADM 209 - Health Management Leadership
• HIT 216 - Emerging Technologies in Health Care
• HIT 218 - Research in Health Information Management
• HIT 219 - Public and Population Health Informatics

Practicum Integrative Course Work– Semester Hours: 6

• HIT 300A - Integrative Health Informatics Practicum I
• HIT 300B - Integrative Health Informatics Practicum II

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.

Coursework must have been completed within the last five years, with a minimum grade 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.

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 program director, students may transfer up to 9 semester hours of equivalent graduate courses from a comparable graduate program at an accredited higher education institution.

Coursework must have been completed within the last five years with a minimum grade of B.