Health Informatics

Overview

Health informatics is the science of evaluating, implementing and utilizing technology to manage all information related to the patient care delivery process: clinical, financial, technological and enterprise-wide. Three major components comprise the health informatics discipline:

• Information Systems: focuses on such issues as information systems analysis, design, implementation, management and leadership
• Informatics: concerned with the study of structure, function and transfer of information, socio-technical aspects of health computing and human-computer interaction
• Information Technology: focuses on computer networks, database and systems administration, security and programming.

The informatics field also draws contributions from computer science, the clinical sciences, social and organizational influences and business practices.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Health Informatics program from Kent State University will be able to:

• Reconcile the needs of clinical and non-clinical users of health information systems utilizing workflow analysis, systems analysis and project management principles
• Analyze collected data of health information systems, utilizing principles of data mining, statistics and clinical analytics
• Manage the implementation of health information systems in multiple health care venues using principles of organizational dynamics and change management
• Facilitate communication between clinical and non-clinical users of health information systems
• Successfully obtain the credential of Certified Associate in Health Information Systems