What is Health Care Informatics?

The health informatics field resides at the intersection of computer science, information management, and healthcare. Its purpose is the automation, management, and improvement of health information in the support of health care delivery. The field has been growing rapidly due to advancements in electronic medical records and cloud computing. You can learn more about the field as well as the career potential by reading this blog post: What is Health Informatics? [Definition + Jobs and Salary Information]

Another good resource is this post: Opportunities in Health Informatics are Vast for Those with a Master’s Degree.

What does this degree program prepare me to do?

Our MS in Health Care Informatics program was designed with input from health system employers who recognized the need for professionals to help implement and optimize electronic medical records, secure patient data, train staff members on the use of EHRs, and help improve patient outcomes and enhance the patient experience by leveraging robust data analysis skills.

Employers are looking for health informaticists who understand the unique challenges of working with healthcare data and who can take a leadership role in developing and improving systems and workflows. Read the blog post What Skills Do You Need for a Successful Career in Health Care Informatics? to get a clearer picture of the knowledge and skills you’ll need to work in the field, and take a look at our Program Curriculum for an inside look into what you’ll be learning.

Where do graduates typically find employment upon graduation?

Graduates of our program are employed with hospitals, clinics, medical device companies, health insurance companies, and data analytics companies. They are employed as clinical analysts, data management professionals, clinical information systems specialists, EHR implementation managers, in managerial roles, and in marketing and sales for medical device companies.

Can I work while completing this program?

Yes, both our on-campus and online programs were designed to be completed while working full-time.

For online students, the flexible one-class-at-a-time format allows you to do your coursework and participate in the discussion topics from wherever you are, at whatever time works best for you.

Students in the campus-based program will take evening classes, giving them time to balance work and school.

How much time will I need to dedicate to this program?

While the exact amount varies by student and will depend on your comfort level with the material being presented, you should plan to spend approximately 15-20 hours per week on coursework.

Students enrolled in the on-campus program will take three to four classes concurrently, requiring an additional time commitment.

What is unique about the MS-HCI program at the University of San Diego?

Our approach to graduate-level health informatics curriculum is unique for several reasons.

• Choose from two specializations that allow you to develop your health care leadership, programmatic, and analytic competencies while addressing contemporary issues in informatics, such as population health analysis, clinical documentation, and workflow optimization.
• Our advisory board of industry experts guides the development and continual refinement of our curriculum, ensuring that we are preparing students with the skills they need to be successful in the workforce.
• You can choose to attend classes in person or earn your degree 100% online.
• Our curriculum has been approved by HIMSS and prepares students to sit for certification. You’ll learn practical, up-to-date skills and knowledge that are aligned with the needs of employers.
• USD is a regionally accredited, top 100 university. Regional accreditation is considered the gold standard in assessing the quality and consistency of a higher education program.

What is the cost of tuition for the MS-HCI Program?

Tuition for the MS-HCI program varies depending on whether you attend on-campus or online.

• • Online: $995/unit. The total tuition cost for the 30-unit program is $29,850, and for the 36-unit dual track program is $35,820.
  • Campus: $1,820/unit. The total tuition cost for the 30-unit program is $54,600, and for the 36-unit dual track program is $65,520.

Tuition amounts shown on this website, or in other university publications or web pages, represent tuition and fees as currently approved. However, the University of San Diego reserves the right to increase or modify tuition and fees without prior notice and to make such modifications applicable to students enrolled at USD at that time, as well as to incoming students. In addition, all tuition amounts and fees are subject to change at any time for the correction of errors. Please note that the displayed tuition covers only the cost of courses, and additional expenses such as books and other fees are not included.

What if my GPA is slightly below the minimum required for admission? Can I still be considered for acceptance?

Absolutely! We understand that you are more than your undergraduate GPA. Your undergraduate GPA may potentially be offset by work experience, an admission essay, or fulfillment of a graduate-level course to show readiness for success in your graduate degree.

During your admission interview, our Academic Director will explore your career goals and identify any ways our team might be able to better support you through your graduate studies. Ultimately, our goal is your success. We want to ensure that the students who are admitted to our program have the experience, tools, and resources they need to graduate from the program and pursue their career goals.

Is a degree or work experience in healthcare required for admission?

Your bachelor’s degree can be in any discipline, and healthcare experience is not required. If you have not worked in healthcare, you will be required to complete an online medical terminology course, which is not part of the degree curriculum. This will help give you a foundational understanding of the terms and concepts discussed throughout the program.

Is this a STEM program?

Health Care Informatics is a STEM-designated degree.

In general, after graduating from a master’s program, international students are eligible to complete Optional Practical Training (OPT), which allows them to work up to 12 months at a company in the U.S. to gain work experience before returning to their home country. Those who graduate from a STEM-designated program can extend their OPT to an additional 24 months.

How many units is my program?

The MS-HCI program is a total of 30 units. Students take a total of 10 required 3-unit courses over 5 terms. Students have the option of pursuing the dual-track, which consists of 12 required 3-unit courses.

After program completion, is there a certification available?

Graduates of our program are prepared to sit for certification by HIMSS. Nurse informaticists can also seek accreditation through the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Read more about the different certifications offered for professionals working in health informatics.

I already work in health informatics but would like to advance. Will this degree help?

Absolutely! Adding a health informatics master’s degree to your resume is likely to help increase your opportunities for promotion. We specifically designed our program with working professionals who already have strong foundational experience but would like to develop the specialized skills required to lead a successful team and oversee complex human and technology systems.

I’m completely new to healthcare and informatics. Will this degree help me enter the field?

USD’s MS-HCI program is extremely well-suited to both early careerists as well as professionals in other disciplines looking to make a career change. The health informatics specialization starts with two foundational courses that will help you better understand the healthcare field, health information systems, and data/privacy issues. You’ll then take classes that provide a wide range of technical, analytical and leadership skills that will prepare you for certification as well as employment. Our curriculum is aligned with the key competencies required by employers, ensuring you will have the knowledge and confidence to succeed in your new career.

What’s the difference between health informatics and nursing informatics?

Nursing informatics is a sub-specialty of nursing and falls under the broader health informatics umbrella. Nursing informatics deals directly with patient care and is geared toward nurses who want to improve patient safety through the use of computer science, information technology, and nursing science. You can read more details about the program differences in this blog post.

If you’re a nurse, you can choose whether to advance your studies with an MSN or an MS in Health Care Informatics. If you plan to continue working in a patient-facing role, you might find that the MSN provides more career and salary growth opportunities with your current employer. If you are moving away from a clinical role and find that you enjoy data analytics and information technology, you may find that the MS in Health Care Informatics will serve you quite well. A few important notes:

• At the University of San Diego, we offer an online MSN in Nursing Leadership with an optional specialty track in Informatics.
• The MS in Health Care Informatics program is offered both online and on-campus.
• Earning an MSN requires 500 hours of clinical practicum hours.