Build a Career at the Center of Modern Healthcare

Healthcare informatics is about helping organizations manage their data more effectively to improve the quality of care and enhance efficiency. Informatics exists for clinical and business purposes, giving organizations the system-processes and tools to predict, collect, store, manage and analyze data.

Using health informatics effectively also enhances collaboration and improves care. For example, nurses, doctors and entire clinical teams rely on emerging healthcare technologies to better communicate, collaborate and coordinate patient care.

Getting the right information to the right person at the right time is essential for good patient outcomes. Informatics is the engine that powers this collaborative data mechanism.

Health informatics and health analytics are closely related fields that work together in most healthcare organizations, and many employers expect professionals to be familiar with both. The distinction comes down to function:

• Health informatics focuses on the systems and processes used to collect, manage and share health data. This includes building and maintaining electronic health records, ensuring interoperability between systems, managing data security and privacy, and supporting the day-to-day flow of clinical information across an organization.
• Health analytics takes that data and searches for patterns and insights that can drive decisions, such as predicting future patient needs, measuring the impact of treatment changes, identifying inefficiencies or guiding organizational strategy.

In practice, the conclusions reached through health analytics depend on the quality and accessibility of the data that health informatics makes possible. Professionals who understand both are better positioned to bridge the gap between data collection and data-driven decision-making.

The Master of Science in Healthcare Informatics curriculum covers both disciplines, giving you a foundation in data management alongside the analytical skills to put that data to work.

For more details, read “Health Informatics vs. Health Analytics: What’s the Difference?”

Yes. Many students enroll not to change careers but to deepen their expertise in a role they already hold. The Master of Science in Healthcare Informatics is an excellent way for professionals from healthcare, IT and administration to add graduate-level training and formalize skills their roles increasingly require.

In nursing, for example, informatics competency is now an expected part of practice according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. A master's degree positions you well ahead of that curve and opens up informatics-specific roles within your field.

For IT professionals supporting healthcare organizations, the MS adds the clinical and analytical depth that makes technical expertise more valuable and more versatile.

These are just two examples of how working professionals use the degree to build on what they already know. To talk through how the program applies to your specific background, contact an enrollment specialist at 516.619.2209 or online@adelphi.edu.

CAHIIM accreditation signals to employers that your degree meets rigorous national standards for curriculum quality, faculty qualifications and professional ethics.

Graduates of CAHIIM-accredited programs have received an education that meets the highest quality standards in the field, which can strengthen your competitiveness for roles across healthcare organizations, technology firms, research institutions and government agencies.

One thing to note: Completing a program with CAHIIM accreditation in health informatics does not confer eligibility for the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) credential. This credential requires graduation from a CAHIIM-accredited health information management program specifically, not a healthcare informatics program.

If RHIA eligibility is a goal, contact an enrollment specialist at 516.619.2209 or online@adelphi.edu to discuss whether this program is the right fit for you.

Yes. The program is designed for professionals from a wide range of backgrounds, and no prior clinical experience, healthcare degree or programming knowledge is required. The curriculum builds the technical and analytical foundations you need from the ground up.

Your classmates may be from healthcare or IT, or they may be in fields with no direct connection to either. What they all share is an interest in the intersection of health and technology—and that’s what the program is built around.

Admission requirements for the online Master of Science in Healthcare Informatics include:

• Bachelor’s degree in any field from an accredited four-year institution
• Minimum 2.75 cumulative undergraduate GPA
• No GRE or GMAT required

Visit our admissions page for more information.

Visit the tuition page for fees and financial aid information. You can also contact an enrollment specialist at 516.619.2209 or online@adelphi.edu to discuss how you can finance your degree.

You can transfer up to 9 credits of comparable graduate coursework (completed with a grade of B or higher), which could reduce the total cost.

The practicum, Practicum in Healthcare Information Technology, is the capstone experience of the Master of Science in Healthcare Informatics. You’ll apply your training in a real healthcare setting and write a comprehensive paper.

Most placements are on site, but there are some virtual assignments available. Finding a placement is something you won’t have to do alone. We provide assistance in identifying a site that aligns with your background and career goals.

If you have questions about the practicum before you apply, contact an enrollment specialist at 516.619.2209 or online@adelphi.edu.

The MS in Healthcare Informatics includes assistance with locating on-site work experience, so you can apply your coursework in real healthcare or IT environments while you earn your degree. Faculty and program staff help connect you with organizations that match your background and career goals, whether you're moving into informatics from a clinical role or an IT background.

As the first healthcare informatics program in New York to earn accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM), Adelphi's credential carries weight with employers in hospitals, health systems, insurance companies and health tech firms.

Students and alumni also have full access to Adelphi's Center for Career and Professional Development for résumé reviews, interview prep and more. They also have access to Handshake, which students in front of 1 million+ employers, including every Fortune 500 company.

Yes. Adelphi is ranked in the top 20 percent of colleges for veteran and military benefits, and is a recognized Top Yellow Ribbon School by U.S. Veterans Magazine.

Several benefits apply to the online MS in Healthcare Informatics:

• GI Bill (Chapter 33/Post-9/11): Eligible students can receive up to 100 percent of tuition coverage based on credits enrolled each semester
• Yellow Ribbon Program: Eligible Chapter 33 recipients may receive additional funding beyond the standard benefit, with the VA and Adelphi each contributing up to $4,000 for a potential total of $8,000
• Concurrent Admissions Program (ConAP): Allows soon-to-enlist or currently enlisted military personnel to take courses while continuing their service

To get started, submit your Certificate of Eligibility to the One-Stop Student Services Center at onestop@adelphi.edu. Include your full name and Adelphi student ID.

For questions about eligibility or obtaining a Certificate of Eligibility, contact the veterans support team at veteransupport@adelphi.edu.

Learn more about military financial aid benefits or explore our broader veteran and military resources for Adelphi students.