MS in Healthcare Informatics

Healthcare organizations and their partners have an unprecedented amount of data due to the adoption of new technologies and improvements in our ability to participate in real-time virtual collaboration, predict physiological trends, monitor patients and track physical activity. Similar advancements have been made in our ability to store enormous amounts of complex patient-sensitive digital information. Healthcare informatics professionals play a critical role in helping their organizations manage and use that information to improve patient care and make their organizations operate more efficiently.

Whether you’re an experienced health professional, health IT professional, or are looking to switch careers, the healthcare informatics field offers a wide range of opportunities. Our online MS in Healthcare Informatics equips you with the tools you need to advance your career in this increasingly data-driven future.

What Is Healthcare Informatics?

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 the entire clinical team 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.

Online Master’s in Healthcare Informatics Program Overview

By enrolling in the program, you’ll gain knowledge on the effective use of cutting-edge telemedicine and telehealth systems. Additionally, you’ll develop a thorough understanding of how to transform raw medical data into valuable information.

With hands-on exercises and a comprehensive education in health information technology, you’ll have the opportunity to develop your proficiency with different health information systems, such as electronic medical records (EMRs), that are critical to improving patient care around the world.

The master’s degree in health informatics is in candidacy status, pending accreditation review by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

Learn more about our curriculum.

Program Benefits

• An online research laboratory that allows for a hands-on learning experience no matter where you are in the world.
• Distinguished faculty members with diverse professional backgrounds who will provide you with a personalized and supportive learning experience.
• Expert assistance from dedicated Adelphi faculty and staff when determining a location to complete your practicum.
• Gain field experience and graduate from a high-ranked school with a strong alumni network and national reputation for excellence.
• Flexible entrance requirements no matter your experience or background — no GRE required.

Healthcare Informatics Careers

We designed the online healthcare informatics master’s program to provide a comprehensive, career-focused education. Our program empowers students to advance their careers and facilitate meaningful change within the healthcare field by developing essential leadership, managerial, technical and analytical skills.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 17 percent growth in healthcare informatics employment through 2030, due partly to the increased use of electronic health records and the enormous amount of data being produced by both people and systems.

This high demand for informatics skills has translated into a broad range of career opportunities for graduates, enabling them to find roles that best suit their needs, goals and personalities. “Wherever there is data and wherever you are comfortable, you can be in the healthcare arena,” said Professor Jahrsdoerfer.

Here are just some of the many jobs that call for healthcare informatics expertise:

• Bioinformatics specialist
• Business intelligence analyst
• Clinical data systems specialist
• Clinical informatics analyst
• Data engineer
• Electronic health record specialist
• Health information privacy manager
• Healthcare administrator
• Healthcare data analyst
• Information technology project manager
• Operations research analyst
• Public health informatics specialist
• Software developer
• Systems administrator

Source: Lightcast™ Analyst 2023.

These roles can be found in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, government agencies, insurance companies and technology firms. Find out more about how graduates of the MS in Healthcare Informatics use their skills on the job.

Who Can Benefit

The online MS in Healthcare Informatics program is geared to individuals with busy professional and personal lives who want to expand their knowledge of health information systems, hone their skills in leveraging healthcare data for decision-making and advance or change careers. Our students have varying educational and professional backgrounds and may have no professional experience in healthcare or technology. They include:

• Clinicians (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, lab techs, etc.)
• Non-health IT professionals (programmers, analysts, database administrators, etc.)
• Career changers