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MBA in Healthcare Informatics

May 5, 2021 11:31 pm0 commentsViews: 2557

This article describes what an MBA in Healthcare Informatics is, and why you would want to earn one. We will tell you how to select a good healthcare informatics program, and will provide recommendations on some of the programs you may want to consider for your graduate education.

What Is an MBA in Healthcare Informatics?

Healthcare informatics professionals use cutting edge technology to effectively and efficiently delivery health care services to patients. They provide a critical link between patient care and the ever evolving technology that is involved in patient care and the handling of patient data and information.

An MBA in healthcare informatics helps the student to master all of the fundamentals of business management, as well as the critical aspects of information technology, healthcare and management. An MBA in healthcare informatics is a great choice for an experienced healthcare professional who wants to advance in the administrative and technical side of healthcare delivery.

In addition to all of the regular MBA classes in accounting, finance, management and statistics, informatics students can expect to talk classes on database modeling and design, healthcare project management and the healthcare system in the United States.

After earning your MBA in healthcare informatics, you can expand your career options by joining professional groups in the field, including the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, and the American Health Information Management Association.

Depending upon the program you choose, you may take courses with these sorts of titles:

  • Healthcare Informatics
  • Advanced IT in Healthcare
  • Mathematics and Statistics in Business
  • Accounting and Financial Analysis
  • Social and Organizational Challenges in Healthcare
  • Leading in a Healthcare Organization

Why Earn an MBA in Healthcare Informatics?

Experienced healthcare professionals and business professionals with this specialized MBA will have many exciting career options in many different settings. The healthcare informatics field is quickly growing, and you will have many interesting positions to choose from in management and healthcare:

  • Database administration
  • Product development
  • Systems engineering
  • Project management
  • Research
  • Programming
  • Systems analysis
  • Consulting

Graduates with this MBA may work in hospitals, government agencies, research organizations, insurance companies, IT firms and at consulting firms.

Healthcare Administrator

One of the most common occupations that graduates with this degree transition into is that of healthcare administrator or healthcare executive. These highly paid professionals are in charge of planning, directing and coordinating vital medical and healthcare services.

Many healthcare administrators manage an entire hospital or facility, a specific area of a facility, or possibly a medical practice of many healthcare professionals. Healthcare administrators have to be extremely knowledgeable about current healthcare laws, regulations and technology.

Having a background in healthcare informatics is vital in this position. There is much higher focus today on the use of electronic healthcare records. In fact, it has been mandated by new federal laws that all healthcare providers must switch to electronic healthcare records in the next few years. These electronic records involve the acquisition, storage and utilization of patient health information.

The new paradigm of electronic healthcare information records has created a surge in demand for experts who are adept in managing electronic medical records.

The field of healthcare administration is growing rapidly: The Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that the field will produce 32% more jobs by 2029. More baby boomers are getting older and retiring, yet are staying physically active. This is creating more need for healthcare services, which in turn means that more healthcare administrative leaders are needed to run healthcare organizations.

Pay for healthcare administrators comes in at a median of $104,280, so this is a great choice for an MBA graduate in healthcare informatics.

May 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and job growth figures for Medical and Health Services Managers represents national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data Accessed May 2021.

MBA in Healthcare Informatics Online Degree Options

Earning your MBA in healthcare informatics will provide you with plenty of good career choices. If you decide to earn this degree, you will be able to choose from many online universities so that you can largely complete your degree online and on your own schedule.

Many online universities provide an excellent education, but how do you know if their MBA program is a good fit for you? Experts recommend that you consider the following factors as you shop for an online MBA program:

  • Accreditation and reputation: Online universities come in varying degrees of quality and reputation. If you choose a program that is not well known or properly accredited, your future employer could be skeptical of your education. You should ensure that the program is accredited by the AACSB, which is the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.
  • Interaction with students and faculty. One of the boons of getting an MBA is interacting with faculty and peers, which can lead to very valuable social network ties that can help your career. The best online degree programs make special effort to promote and maximize student interaction. This often is done by the cohort format, meaning that you take your classes with a group of other students at the same time.
  • Curriculum and faculty: You should demand classes that are taught by experienced and credentialed professors who are experienced in the real healthcare business world.
  • Cost and overall value: You should select a program that has a good mix of coursework, practical knowledge delivery, and value. Some online programs charge the same tuition for in state and out of state students, which can save you big.

Our research indicates that the following programs in healthcare informatics are worth your careful consideration:

New England College

New England College offers an MBA in Health Informatics that is targeted to experienced professionals who work in any type of healthcare facility. Most of the students in this 20 month program come from a technical or IT background, and some have a clinical background as well. Some of these professionals come from nursing and pharmacy-related jobs.

This program has seven, four credit core classes and three, four credit healthcare informatics courses. This program is specially designed for busy, working professionals, so you will be able to complete most of the classes on your own schedule.

Your required classes include:

  • Organizational Leadership and Change
  • Managerial Accounting and Finance for Leadership
  • Managerial Economics
  • Marketing Management
  • Professional and Organizational Ethics
  • Strategic Planning and Policy
  • Capstone Project
  • Principles of Health Informatics
  • Healthcare Technology and Systems
  • Knowledge Management in Healthcare

Northwestern University

Northwestern University offers a Master of Science in Health Informatics that is worth considering, even though it is not an MBA program. This is an exciting, new online degree program that is offered in partnership with the school’s Feinberg School of Medicine, which is a world medical leader. This program will prepare you for exciting, emerging opportunities in the health care informatics space.

Students will leverage cutting edge technology tools and data so that they can offer more efficient and effective patient centered health care services. You also will develop new skills in organizational change leadership and project management.

Students come to this program from many backgrounds, and that is why the program offers these specializations:

  • Clinical Informatics
  • Health Technology Informatics
  • Health Administration Informatics

The classes  in introductory IT and clinical practice can be waived if you have substantial years of experience in those areas. For students who are interested in the clinical informatics area, you will be prepared for board certification in medical informatics.

Accreditation

As we noted earlier on this page, verify if your MBA program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). This is the most highly respected accreditation body for MBA education.

Summary

Healthcare informatics is a booming field, and combining skills in this area with a general MBA will provide you with an edge for exciting career opportunities.