Demand for Healthcare IT Specialists Prompts New, Online Program

HCIT

The School of Business is launching a new, nationally recognized, online certificate program in Healthcare Informatics and Technology. Beginning in March of 2017, the program is designed to meet the growing demand for experts in that field.

“The field of healthcare IT is not only changing, but also expanding rapidly as changes take place in the industry, including the widespread use of the electronic medical record,” said Emeritus Professor Jeffrey Kramer, who specializes in the study of healthcare organizations and who designed the program. 

“Career opportunities continue to emerge as this field responds to complex intersecting issues involving ethics, law and technology,” he said. “Healthcare is the largest industry in our economy, with 20-cents of every dollar now spent on it, and likely to grow more as the Baby Boomers get older.”

The UConn program has already received the prestigious designation of Approved Educational Partner by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). UConn’s program is one of only 12 organizations nationally to earn this industry-recognized honor. HIMSS is a not-for-profit association dedicated to improving healthcare quality, safety, cost-effectiveness and access through the best use of IT and management systems. As the only program in the Northeast recognized and credentialed by HIMSS, it is expected to draw students from across the nation.

This non-credit, online certificate program is designed to meet the educational needs of entry- to mid-level IT staff members employed within healthcare organizations. The program also provides increased knowledge of healthcare information technology for experienced healthcare staff members from other fields and areas of expertise.

The program requires the completion of four dedicated online courses. Faculty include UConn professors and prominent industry experts, such as nationally recognized healthcare IT experts and chief information officers of health systems.

For more information, please visit the program website or contact Robert Booz, director of healthcare IT and initiatives at Robert.Booz@uconn.edu or (860) 728-2404.