Master s in Health Informatics Program Approved

A new distance learning degree from the College of Allied Health Sciences has been approved by the Ohio Board of Regents.

The Master’s in Health Informatics program, designed to train students in the management and analysis of health care or biomedical data, will be a collaborative distance learning degree between Allied Health Sciences and UC’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business.

The program, created primarily for working health care and information services professionals, will prepare students for the growing field of health informatics, says interim department chair Jan Kelly.

Kelly says graduates could work in health data analytics in a variety of fields, from analyzing public and private health care data and outcomes to creating and implementing information security processes to ensure data integrity and safety. They can also use health informatics in areas like project management, strategic planning and health information exchange.

"It’s our aim to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to become self-directed learners who possess critical thinking and problem-solving abilities in data analytics,” she says.

Students will be able to attain their Master’s in Health Informatics in two years with 34 semester hours, all taught online utilizing the best practices established through the Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management program.

The program is recruiting a director and faculty, with an anticipated starting date in the 2013-2014 academic year.