Explore Healthcare Data Integration and Interoperability within UIC’s Online MSHI Program

Data plays a crucial role in shaping patient care and informing public health decisions in today’s healthcare environment. The University of Illinois Chicago’s Master’s in Health Informatics (MSHI) program prepares students to navigate the complexities of health informatics. Clinical Assistant Professor Justina Garcia has over 20 years of healthcare experience and expertise in interoperability, healthcare communication systems, and regulatory standards.

In her BHIS 515: Management of Healthcare Communication Systems course, Justina helps students understand how network support and seamless data exchange can improve healthcare systems and patient outcomes. Her focus on real-world applications ensures students gain the practical skills to drive meaningful change in healthcare.

What key concepts or skills can students expect to gain from your BHIS 515 course in the MSHI program?

In my BHIS 515: Management of Healthcare Communication Systems course, I focus on healthcare communication systems and how various technologies help support healthcare infrastructure. These systems enable the seamless exchange of health information, key to improving patient outcomes and operational efficiency.

Students will learn about the infrastructure and protocols that support data exchange of different types of healthcare data, including:

• Clinical Data: diagnoses, treatments, lab results, and imaging from Electronic Health Records (EHRs).
• Administrative & Claims Data: billing, insurance, and reimbursement information.
• Payer Data: cost trends and coverage patterns that affect care management.
• Social & Geographic Data: social determinants of health and regional healthcare access, offering insights into health disparities.
• Best Practice Data: evidence-based guidelines and quality metrics, used to improve patient outcomes.

When these diverse data types are shared effectively, they support interoperability, enhance decision-making, and promote efficient, patient-centered care.

Why is interoperability essential in healthcare, and how does your course prepare students to navigate it in the real world?

My course focuses on understanding how these processes work in healthcare and the technical, regulatory, and operational enablers that make interoperability possible. We explore how standards, APIs, data-sharing frameworks, encryption, and AI-driven technologies contribute to secure, seamless data exchange across healthcare systems.

Interoperability in healthcare is crucial because the value of data is limited when it’s kept in isolation. Healthcare systems must share data seamlessly to improve patient outcomes and operational efficiencies. The various types of healthcare data, including clinical data from EHRs, administrative data such as billing and insurance, payer data for cost trends, social and geographic data on health disparities, and best practice data from evidence-based guidelines, must be interoperable. When these diverse data types are shareable, they support better decision-making and more efficient, patient-centered care.

My course focuses on understanding how these processes work in healthcare and the technical, regulatory, and operational enablers that make interoperability possible. We explore how standards, APIs, data-sharing frameworks, encryption, and AI-driven technologies contribute to secure, seamless data exchange across healthcare systems. To apply these concepts in a real-world context, one of the projects I have my students do is to explain the technical and functional architecture components of an existing healthcare network. This includes identifying its shortcomings and creating a business proposal to enhance the network to improve care delivery.

What career opportunities can students explore within health informatics?

An MS in Health informatics offers a wide range of career opportunities, especially as healthcare continues to evolve with technology. Some of the core areas that students can explore include:

1. Healthcare Informatics Specialists – These professionals bridge the gap between healthcare systems and technology, ensuring seamless integration and effective use of data for improved patient care and operational efficiency.
2. Data Scientists – Data scientists analyze and interpret complex healthcare data, providing valuable insights that drive decision-making and improve outcomes.
3. Engineers – Engineers are crucial in designing secure, interoperable systems that enable seamless data exchange across healthcare platforms.
4. Regulatory Experts – These professionals ensure compliance with healthcare standards and regulations, such as HIPAA.
5. Research Scientists – Research scientists push the boundaries of knowledge in areas like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and medical devices.
6. Consultants – Consultants are highly sought after across all these domains, offering expertise to healthcare organizations in technology implementation, best practices, and compliance strategies.

What advice would you give prospective students considering UIC’s online MSHI program?

If you’re interested in health informatics, I encourage you to explore the various roles in the field by researching them on platforms like LinkedIn or other job search engines. This will give you a better understanding of the many opportunities available within health informatics. Another piece of advice I have is to engage with professional organizations such as HIMSS and AHIMA to follow industry changes and network with like-minded health informatics professionals.