Leading the Future of Healthcare IT
The University of Illinois at Chicago delivers some of the most innovative and comprehensive Health Informatics and Health Information Management programs in the country. Our advanced degree and certificate programs can prepare you to make an immediate impact within your organization and play a vital role in the evolution of the healthcare industry as a whole.
- Online programs designed to fit your busy schedule
- No GRE exam required
- Graduate from a university with the nation’s largest medical school
- Learn advanced skills in a growing industry
UIC now offers a PhD in Biomedical and Health Informatics. Applications are now being accepted.
Learn more about a career in Health Informatics by viewing our career guide.
The Master of Science in Health Informatics and Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
Ranked #132 out of nearly 1,000 US colleges and universities by Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College
Ranked #61 Top Public Schools, #129 National Universities, #52 Best Medical Schools — Research, and #3 Best Online Bachelor’s Programs by U.S. News & World Report (2020).
Regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree Programs
By enrolling in our CAHIIM-accredited Master of Science in Health Informatics (MSHI), Post-Master’s Certificate (PMC) in Health Informatics, Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in HIM (RHIA) or Bachelor of Science in HIM (RHIA), you can increase your potential for career advancement, help transform the use of healthcare information and improve the overall quality of patient care.
Difference Between Health Informatics & Health Information Management
The Health Informatics and Health Information Management terms are often interchanged, but UIC distinguishes between the two disciplines by using the following analogy: imagine health informatics as building the highway (information system) on which data is sent long distances and health information management as the vehicle of information (electronic health records) that travels from one destination to the next.
Health Informatics
Knowledge Applied Through Technology
Definition: The intersection of IT, computer science and healthcare; the science of defining how health information is captured and utilized for the advancement of medicine
Responsibilities: Design, develop, implement, evaluate, assimilate into operations, analyze patient data information systems and processes, conduct research using patient care data
Core concepts: Organizational change leadership, strategic planning, project management, database design, programming, data mining and analysis, comprehensive reporting
Opportunities: Director of clinical informatics, healthcare chief information officer, health information systems manager, database analyst/administrator, systems analyst, consultant, supplier, systems implementation specialist, data research specialist
Health Information Management
Health Records and Data
Definition: The practice of acquiring, organizing and managing a patient’s personal medical information for use in hospitals and healthcare organizations to enable quality care
Responsibilities: Collect, input and ensure accuracy of individual patient data
Core concepts: Health records management, coding, data analysis
Opportunities: Compliance officer, privacy manager, data quality manager, health information management director, coding supervisor, project manager, revenue cycle manager
Why UIC?
The University of Illinois at Chicago is the leader in educating health informatics and health information professionals. UIC offers four 100% online, accredited degree programs in Health Informatics and Health Information Management through the College of Applied Health Sciences. With the nation’s largest medical school, UIC sets the standard of excellence in healthcare faculty, curriculum and application.
Industry Outlook
There is a growing need for trained informaticians. Graduates of the UIC informatics program are well-equipped to move into a career in this field, whether the focus is on computers, technology and implementation or clinical and medical data research and analysis. UIC encompasses all of the major areas, enabling graduates to qualify for a broader range of informatics positions.
FAQs
1. What is the importance of CAHIIM accreditation?
In order to be eligible to take any of the AHIMA professional HIM certification exams, including the RHIA, you must be a graduate of a CAHIIM-accredited program. Also, graduating from these CAHIIM-accredited programs assures your employer that you have the professional skills and knowledge from a curriculum that is relevant to the current electronic health record (EHR) environment.
2. What are some of the skills needed in the informatics profession?
The demand in this profession is for talented, polished and business-savvy professionals who have the ability to manage advanced clinical systems, project management, implementation of electronic health records and patient safety procedures. Beyond developing the technical skills, employers are looking for the ability to build and maintain working relationships, challenging yourself and others to focus on using technology to improve knowledge management for improved patient care.
3. What type of jobs are becoming available to graduates of the health informatics program?
New titles and roles are being created within the health informatics industry. The job titles of some graduates of the UIC MSHI program reported in a recent survey include: Director of Clinical Operations; Senior Technical Consultant; Manager, Pharmacy Informatics Specialist; Director, Client Programs, Senior Director of Technology; Healthcare Application Analyst; and Chief Medical Information Officer.
4. Are employers looking for experience in healthcare technology over education?
Education is essential in the field of healthcare technology. While experience is important, proper education provides you with an advantage over other job applicants in the eyes of employers. Education from the right institution provides you with the knowledge, training and skills that employers are looking for.
5. What courses are available at UIC for privacy and security as it relates to healthcare?
There are several courses available in the HI and HIM curricula that cover privacy and security, including: BHIS 517, Healthcare Information Security; BHIS 505, Ethics & Legal Issues in Health Informatics; and HIM 454, Legal Aspects, Risk Management and Security of Health Information.