Graduate program in health care informatics ranked No. 11 in nation
Kim Chaudoin | 615.966.6494 |
Lipscomb University’s Master of Science in health care informatics has been ranked No. 11 in the nation by Healthcare Administration Degree Programs.
Lipscomb ranked above the University of Kansas, Harvard University, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Missouri and Duke University among others included in the ranking. Lipscomb’s Master of Science degree in health care informatics is housed in its College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences and is designed to equip students and create change agents for careers that integrate information technology, cognitive computing, business analytics, and health sciences.
“We are proud to deliver a cutting-edge education in the high-demand field of health care informatics,” says L. Randolph Lowry, Lipscomb University president. “Lipscomb prepares students to succeed in their careers in the health care industry, and more important to me, opportunities to make a difference in an ever-changing and challenging world.”
This ranking was created using the National Center for Education Statistics' College Navigator database. From a list of qualifying schools offering healthcare informatics degrees, the top 20 programs were selected and ranked based on the following four criteria: accreditation, emphasis on character, comprehensiveness of curriculum, and contemporary focus.
“We are very pleased that our program is being noticed at the national level for its excellence in preparing students for this important aspect of health care,” said Roger L. Davis, dean of Lipscomb’s College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences. “It is evidence that our faculty is preparing our students in the classroom and through research opportunities at a level of which the nation has taken notice. We are on the front line of pharmacy education across the country.”
Davis said Lipscomb’s program has also gained national recognition in recent years through its students and faculty being selected to participate in the prestigious Stanford Medicine X, the research grants it has received and by becoming the first college of pharmacy in the nation to add IBM Watson Analytics into its curriculum in addition to other initiatives.
Although occupational data is limited because the field of health care informatics is relatively new, initial indicators show that it is one of the fastest-growing fields in or out of health care. Lipscomb launched its graduate program in health care informatics in 2011.
“Professionals who understand the relationship between people, health, information technology and the health care system are in great demand,” said Beth Breeden, chair of Lipscomb’s health care informatics department. “Healthcare informatics is an emerging discipline which evaluates the utilization of technologies and automation along with analysis of data, information, and knowledge to support and improve human health, research, and the delivery of healthcare. It plays a vital role in enhancing the quality of care by optimizing patient outcomes and financial efficiencies. Our students have a passion for understanding how healthcare informatics can be utilized to change and enhance health care delivery and outcomes.”
Lipscomb’s Master of Science in health care informatics program includes multidisciplinary training that provides students the ability to interact effectively with clinicians, administrators, business leaders and IT professionals and to understand the challenges of each role. The program is designed for those with busy schedules by offering the program exclusively on weekends, with 42-hour coursework delivered in just 12 months, plus two months to finalize individual capstone project work. Students are placed in a cohort so they stay with the same students through the entire program learning from, supporting and networking with each other. The program is designed to prepare students for jobs in hospitals, health care consulting, pharmaceutical and biotech companies, insurance companies, governmental agencies and health-related software companies, business, and industry among many others. Internships and employer tuition reimbursement options are available.
Lipscomb University benefits from Nashville's status as the nation's healthcare capital, with its nearly 400 health care companies located in the metropolitan area.
“Opportunities abound for students in Lipscomb's Master of health care informatics program, whether it is learning directly from faculty and local area experts, pioneering partnerships, or emerging technologies, such as digital health and blockchain,” according to a Healthcare Administration Degree Programs release.
The organization also noted Lipscomb’s “comprehensive curriculum focus that includes health sciences, information technology, and business management, with courses offered in Lipscomb's Colleges of Pharmacy & Health Sciences and Computing and Technology” as a strength of the program.
For more information about Lipscomb’s Master of Science in health care informatics program, click here.
Healthcare Administration Degree Programs provides the complete ranking here.