Get ready for a busy week!   The Spring A application deadline has been EXTENDED to Friday, December 9th, and our next Science Prerequisites for Health Professions registration deadline is this Monday, December 5th!   ‘Tis the season to give yourself the gift of personal and professional growth!    Explore our programs and sign up today!

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What is Healthcare Informatics?

What is healthcare informatics
Healthcare informatics influences healthcare delivery, management, and planning, with the goal of improving clinical outcomes, lowering the cost of care, and bettering the patient and provider experience. It is the interdisciplinary study of the design, development, and application of technology-based healthcare innovations. Health informatics is known by several different names. The field is also popularly referred to as clinical informatics, biomedical informatics, health IT, data science, health informatics, medical informatics, and nursing informatics, among others. Bridging the gap between data science and patient care, health informatics is a field that ties together multiple disciplines including; information science, computer science, social science, behavioral science, and managerial science to improve healthcare outcomes. The benefits of healthcare informatics Covering health data collection,…

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What is Informatics in Healthcare?

An infographic that explains the Master in Health Informatics program and how it combines healthcare and health technology
Informatics in healthcare is the interdisciplinary study of the design, development, and application of technology-based innovations in healthcare services delivery, management, and planning. The benefits of informatics in healthcare As an industry, health informatics connects people with health technology to better improve healthcare outcomes and safety. The field of health informatics covers health data collection, storage, reporting, and communication – and maintains a mission to advance operational efficiencies to streamline comprehensive care and protect patient data. As developments to those processes are continually made through design, implementation, and configuration, the health informatics career field continues to expand. How is informatics used in healthcare? Informatics is used to achieve higher quality care. Informatics serves as a tool for patients to…

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Stackable Certificate Programs at UNE Online

stackable certificate programs
One way to earn your master’s degree at UNE is through stackable certificate programs. Each graduate certificate offered at UNE Online is stackable to the corresponding master’s degree in that program. What does “stackable” mean? Each credit a student earns while getting their graduate certificate can be counted toward the master’s degree, should they choose to pursue one at a later date. This way students can gradually work their way to a master’s degree. Stackable certificate programs are a convenient way to start small and ease your way into a master’s degree, that on their own also hold value in the workforce. Stack grad certificate credits toward a master’s degree The academic credits that students earn can be reused or…

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Examples of Informatics in Nursing – Applying your Master of Science in Health Informatics

Examples of Informatics in Nursing
Nursing informatics is a field that has evolved as the use and storage of data have been integrated into the forefront of patient care and practice management. As technology has evolved over the years, so have examples of informatics in nursing. Though the profession of nursing remains the same, the daily work of these healthcare professionals is heavily influenced by informatics, with special attention to the accuracy and communication of patient data and care. What are some examples of informatics in nursing? Examples of informatics in nursing demonstrate how much the field has evolved, and show how nurses have integrated the use of data and new technologies to improve patient outcomes. Informatics is the practice of collecting, analyzing, and leveraging…

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Jobs in Health Informatics

Jobs in Health Informatics
Jobs in health informatics involve professionals who use data to help healthcare providers achieve better health outcomes. Health informatics connects people, technology, and data to improve the safety and quality of patient health; not only for individual patients but for entire populations. Health informatics graduates and professionals are helping to transform the healthcare industry by moving towards a more advanced and patient-focused model of care. In this diverse field, practitioners collaborate across many different work environments to ensure that security and simplicity always remain within reach. Jobs for Health Informatics graduates The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 32 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster…

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Faculty Spotlight: Nicholas Flavin, MPH, Health Informatics Program

Nicholas Flavin, MPH faculty member, MSIN program at CGPS
Nicholas Flavin, MPH is a faculty member with the Health Informatics program at CGPS. Here, he talks about his professional experience and how that, combined with his passion for art, makes teaching a joy for him. You have an MPH – what drew you to teaching in the field of health informatics? My background is in healthcare, research, and teaching. I began as a teacher and I earned my MPH when I switched careers and started working in healthcare. After a while, I found myself being drawn to the health informatics world of data and data analytics. With the advent of the Electronic Medical Record (EMR), health informatics has become a huge piece of the healthcare puzzle. Working in the…

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Program Director Spotlight: Matt Kaszubinski, Health Informatics Program

Matt Kaszubinski, Program Director Health Informatics Program
Matt Kaszubinski is the Program Director for the Graduate Programs in Health Informatics and the new Master’s in Healthcare Administration here at UNE Online. Read on for his plan to keep students’ skills fresh, and what he is excited about for the future in the field of health informatics. Can you tell me a little about your background and what drew you to teaching at UNE Online? I actually started in medicine in a variety of different ways and in several different environments. As a Navy Hospital Corpsman for several years, I worked in shipboard medicine, and then I was moved over to a hospital on the west coast, and then to a shipyard, where I mostly worked in an…

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Top Health Technology Trends & Insights

Graphic with rising arrow to depict emerging health information technology
As we entered the second half of 2018, our Graduate Programs in Health Informatics weighed in on the major trends we can look forward to seeing in healthcare. The landscape of the industry changes regularly, but some prominent tech improvements continue to stand out. The following three emerging health information technology examples are advancing healthcare’s mission of delivering more efficient and effective care, and ensuring that patient service and security remain the focus in that pursuit. 1. Telemedicine Mobile health continues to lead the fight towards improving patient engagement and experience. Although this strategy and practice has existed within healthcare in past years, telemedicine is currently making its biggest impact yet. As access to healthcare is becoming more limited in…

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American Tech Giants Enter the Race to Improve Healthcare

Illustration of a doctor pointing to a clipboard with several logos around his head such as Amazon, Google, and Apple to depict healthcare tech
The United States spends more than $3 trillion annually on health care, making it the fifth largest industry in the country. In 2017, ten of the largest American tech giants entered the healthcare race and became involved in health care equity deals valued at more than $2.7 billion, up 90% since 2012. As technology begins to shape the future of healthcare, the demand for health professionals such as those well-versed in health informatics continues to climb. The Stunning Growth of Tech in Healthcare In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was signed into law. This bill provided economic stimulus in areas like tax relief, social welfare provisions, and unemployment benefits. Included in this $787 billion legislation, 20% was…

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Infographic: What is Health Informatics?

An infographic that explains the Master in Health Informatics program and how it combines healthcare and health technology
Learn more about the field that intersects healthcare and health technology to empower people to lead healthier lives. The Master of Science in Health Informatics degree at UNE Online centers its approach around the student experience and how each student experiences education. We pioneer our programs to be innovative through technology, focused on three specific areas of study, and aligned to produce career-ready professionals to lead in healthcare. As demand for experts in this field continues to rise, UNE Online works hard to ensure that you are ready to join the field and complete the program in two years or fewer. Read below about all the ways UNE Online’s competitive design and structure can suit your personal goals and needs.…

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Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Joseph Walton, PharmD, MS, BCPS – Health Informatics

Joseph R. Walton, Pharm.D., M.S.
Dr. Joseph Walton is a faculty member in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies in the Health Informatics program, and has some fascinating projects going on in his professional career. We spoke with Dr. Walton recently about his work in the field of Health Informatics, and how he creates a sense of community among his online students. Can you tell me a little bit about your background and what drew you to teaching at UNE Online? I have been in the Pharmacy Informatics field for about five years now. I graduated from pharmacy school with a dual degree, earning both a Pharm.D. and a Master’s in Science and Technology Management. Throughout my education, I was able to incorporate a…

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Health Informatics: New Focus Areas!

Health Informatics at UNE Online, new focus areas
The Health Informatics program at UNE Online offers two options – a 36 credit-hour Master of Science in Health Informatics program that can be completed in as little as two years, and a Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics that can be completed in just one year. Both programs are 100% online, with no campus visits required, and no GRE required. Very recently, we introduced three new optional focus areas for the Health Informatics program. Health Informatics: a stackable course plan The Health Informatics courses that we offer in the Master’s degree here at UNE Online are structured in an intentional way. All 12 courses required for the Master’s degree are listed below. If you were to take just classes 1–6…

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A Day in the Life of a Clinical Analyst

Clinical Analyst
Megan Landry’s health informatics career path has included emergency room nurse, Clinical Analyst, and Clinical Informatics Manager, and she was the former Program Manager for the Health Informatics programs at UNE Online. In this post, she shares her experience as Clinical Analyst working within the field of health informatics. Background and work experience When Megan Landry began her career as an emergency room nurse, she and her team used a system of paper records and clipboards to manage patient information. The clipboards were functional, but limited in their effectiveness because only one person could use the clipboard at any given time. This restricted access to patient information, reduced the amount of knowledge that was able to be shared with the…

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Ambassador Spotlight: Steve Butka, Health Informatics Program

Steve Butka, Health Informatics Student at UNE Online
Steve Butka is a student at UNE Online in the Health Informatics program. He was kind enough to answer a few questions recently about his experience as a student, the challenges, and highlights of the Health Informatics program, and some advice for incoming students. What drew you toward earning a degree in Health Informatics? I am currently working in the mental health and substance abuse field as an intake screener for both adult and children. I have been with the agency since 2008, when I finished my undergraduate degree, and have mostly worked in positions that involved direct service. I was offered a promotion to my current position in the Fall of 2016, at which point I was able to…

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