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FIU Introducing Fully Online Master’s Program

in Health Informatics & Analytics

BY VANESSA ORR salaries for the profes- plinary approach to health informatics and it, nor do I think I would have found my
sion at $69,000, though provides students with tools and skills to passion for working with data mining and
Since 2012, Florida Inter - higher salaries are possi- analyze data and provide solutions to data visualization.”
national University (FIU) has ble,” Dr. Klein said of the improve health and healthcare delivery. Michele Russell, class of 2016, started
offered a Master’s of Science in field that enables im - Students broaden their views and perspec- Russell Consulting Group shortly after
Health Informatics and Ana - provements in health- tives by working in teams with peers from graduating. She assists clients with infra-
lytics (MSHI&A). This inter- care delivery, patient clinical, information systems, and mana- structure design, data-driven decision-
disciplinary field studies and safety and quality of gerial backgrounds.” making, cloud migrations, electronic med-
pursues effective uses of care. While this coming year’s program is ical records implementations and more.
health-related data, informa- While in the program, fully online, subsequent years will see the While enrolled in FIU’s program, she was
tion, and knowledge for scien- students enhance their degree offered via in-person and online the chief information officer at Health
tific inquiry, problem-solving, analytical, leadership instruction. To date, FIU has graduated Choice Network in Doral.
and organizational decision- Michele Russell and organizational skills. four successful cohorts of students, with “I was apprehensive about going back to
making, in an effort to The average age of an the fifth currently completing their stud- school while working as a CIO for an
improve both health and MSHI&A student is 29, ies. Alumni work across South Florida at extremely busy healthcare IT company,”
healthcare delivery. In October of 2017, and students come from various back- employers that include HealthSouth, the Russell said. “Once I committed to the
the University will begin offering the pro- grounds including healthcare, nursing, Memorial Healthcare System, Baptist program, the excitement built. It doesn't
gram completely online in order to enable health services, information technology, Health South Florida, MEDNAX, Molina matter how many years of healthcare
more students to become involved in this accounting, psychology, and biological Healthcare, CareCloud, the Florida and/or information technology experience
growing field. services, among others. Department of Health, Hialeah Hospital, you have when you begin this program;
“The United States Department of The program is offered as part of FIU’s Banyan Health Systems, the Air National you will learn a great deal. As a seasoned
Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics projects College of Business, making it the only Guard, Harmony Healthcare, Tenet healthcare executive, I was incredibly sur-
that the field of health information will program of its kind offered through a busi- Healthcare, Nicklaus Children’s prised by the extensive amount of new
experience 22 percent job growth by ness school in Florida and one of only a Hospital, and Wentworth Hampshire and enhanced information that I
2022,” explained Dr. Richard Klein, an handful of similar programs across the among many others. received.”
assistant dean with FIU’s College of U.S. Christina Cascante, class of 2015, now She added, “We need highly trained
Business and interim chair of the “The unique aspect of FIU’s program works within Baptist Health South individuals to help organizations make
Information Systems and Business lies in combining management and busi- Florida’s information technology group patient-centric decisions with the expan-
Analytics Department. “Only ‘health infor- ness analytics components with health as a business intelligence consultant. In sive healthcare data available within elec-
mation technicians’ are referenced in this informatics. We designed the program this capacity, she creates reports and tronic health record systems. You can only
statistic, overlooking potential IT jobs in with input from some of the top health- dashboards, as well as leads and works increase your collective corporate value
the healthcare sector as well as consulting care professionals and CIOs in South on numerous regulatory projects such as with a degree in Healthcare Informatics
and health informatics education and Florida,” explained Dr. Klein, adding that CMS’ Physician Quality Reporting and Analytics from FIU.”
training opportunities.” the same outstanding faculty teaching the System (PQRS).
Advanced, graduate-level degrees in in-person program will teach the online “The FIU MSHI&A was challenging, For more information about FIU’s MSHI&A
health informatics will ultimately prove program. but I am so thankful that I chose it,” she program, contact Roberto Garcia at
extremely valuable. “Data collected by the He continued, “FIU takes an interdisci- said. “I would not have had the opportuni- 305-348-4347, mshia@fiu.edu or visit
job search site Simply Hired puts average ty to be at my current career level without www.healthanalytics.fiu.edu.

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16 July 2017 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News