New England HIMSS 2018 Maine Conference Hosted by UNE Online

2018 New England HIMSS Conference

UNE Online is proud to host the 2018 Maine Conference, presented by the New England Chapter of HIMSS this November. Reserve My Ticket About HIMSS, New England Chapter The New England Chapter of HIMSS is proud to have one of the largest regional membership bases with participants representing all six New England states. As of June 2018, this chapter welcomed 3,325 members. Chief among the missions the chapter is pursuing is to foster professional growth, relationships, knowledge, and collaboration among healthcare information management professionals throughout the New England territory. Additionally, the organization is committed towards developing educational programs, networking opportunities and provider/patient events like the 2018 Maine Conference to meet the ever-changing interests of its chapter members. National Vision, Local Focus The New England HIMSS Chapter represents the New England region for HIMSS. This region includes all of the New England states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. In pursuing the vision and mission of both HIMSS… Read More >

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Health Informatics Focus Areas - One Year Later

Students in Library studying their Health informatics focus areas

In October 2017, the Health Informatics graduate programs at UNE Online introduced three new focus areas to give students the opportunity to shape their electives around individual career goals. Restructuring the graduate programs gave students the capability to specialize in one professional area of health informatics, ensuring a valuable return on investment. How are these focus areas helping students find career success one year later? Focus Areas Designed to Meet Employer Needs Health informatics continues to be one of the fastest-growing fields in healthcare, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting a 20% job growth for health information professionals by 2026. The UNE Online focus areas were developed with this growth in mind, and aimed to provide students with the skills they need to find success in their career. Learn more about what makes our focus area model unmatched. The Heathcare Leadership focus area was designed for students who may currently work in health informatics and are looking to advance to… Read More >

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Student Spotlight: Ruthie Pearlman, Master of Science in Health Informatics

Ruthie Pearlman, Master of Science in Health Informatics Program

Ruthie Pearlman is a second-year student in the Master of Science in Health Informatics program. Here she tells us about her experience in the program, her vision for integrating seamless patient experiences with mobile health technology, and her advice for incoming students. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself, and what encouraged you to pursue your Master’s in Health Informatics? I graduated in ‘99, lived in Israel for a while, got married, had kids, and worked as an office manager for a nurse midwife for about ten years. When we decided to move to Maine, I took the opportunity to explore different types of jobs that would more closely fit my career aspirations. When I looked into getting my master’s, I initially considered the University of New England because of the coastal Maine campus. That is, until I discovered that many of their graduate degrees are offered 100% online, including one I had never heard of before: a… Read More >

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The Benefits of Complimentary HIMSS Membership for Students and How to Join

Doctor displaying the process for a student to sign up for their HIMSS Membership

As a HIMSS Approved Education Partner (AEP), the University of New England can now provide students complimentary membership to the global Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) organization. Moreover, through HIMSS’s Organizational Affiliate program, UNE Online can offer staff and students a plethora of resources they can use to succeed at their jobs and in the industry. This partnership enables UNE Online students to get hands-on experience, network, and even contribute to the industry while they’re completing their degree program. REGISTER FOR THE NEW ENGLAND HIMSS MAINE CONFERENCE HIMSS Mission Statement: Globally, lead endeavors optimizing health engagements and care outcomes through information and technology. HIMSS is a global non-profit made up of more than 70,000 global individual members, 630 corporate members, over 450 non-profit organizations. Through the coordinated efforts of thousands of volunteers, HIMSS provides advising services and resources that connect digital innovations with improved healthcare access and health quality. Students are encouraged to take advantage of all the member… Read More >

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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 Health Informatics graduate programs 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 technologies 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 some areas, telemedicine serves as an effective way to bridge the gap between provider and patient. Additionally, the amount of data being shared among providers and the increased use of Electronic Health Records (EHR) supports the theory that this health IT trend… Read More >

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Top 5 Health Informatics Jobs on the Rise

Health Informatics Jobs in Action

As healthcare systems look to capitalize on big data and its endless applications, health informatics jobs have become increasingly vital. Consequently, as the health informatics field continues to accelerate, more higher education programs are emerging to meet the demand. According to the World & U.S. News Report on Online Health Informatics Masters Degrees, “obtaining a graduate degree in the health informatics field widens your opportunity for career advancement and strengthens your competitive edge,” making health informatics a good career choice for those interested in being ahead of the curve. The Demand for Health Informatics Professionals Driven by the pursuit of improving healthcare delivery and quality, providers have begun looking for secure and accurate methods of health management. As the health industry migrates to a more digital landscape to incorporate such methods, more positions and professionals are becoming crucial. These professionals work to connect the gap between data and physicians, allowing for a more fluid, comprehensive, and service driven model of… Read More >

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Webinar: Blockchain Practice & Principles in Healthcare

The UNE Online Master of Science in Health Informatics program is happy to present this webinar bringing together three experts in the field of blockchain: Rob Dolci, President, and CEO of Aizoon USA, a technology company specializing in solving challenges through innovation by designing and developing software systems for smarter factories and more secure networks. Todd Kitchens, a University of New England graduate from the College of Osteopathic Medicine, who works as a physician and digital health expert in Maine. Sean Manion, CEO of Science Distributed, a science research company that develops systems of sharing and security through blockchain technology. We explore the world of blockchain as it applies to healthcare and its efforts to improve security measures and enhance the overall patient experience.

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Ambassador Spotlight: Janet Quiring – Health Informatics Program

Student Spotlight Janet Quiring Health Informatics program

Janet Quiring is a student in the Master of Science in Health Informatics program here at UNE Online. We spoke with her recently about her thoughts on the program, how she leveraged her strengths to find her practicum placement, and what aspects of real-life cybersecurity her practicum is exposing her to. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself, and what encouraged you to pursue your Master’s in Health Informatics? I’ve had a career in the pharmaceutical industry for many years now. The industry is great, and I’ve enjoyed it, but at some point, you step back and look at how the market is changing. I’ve seen the whole dynamic of medicine shift, and I felt that I needed to be able to change with it. Many pharmaceutical companies like mine conduct outcome studies, and over the years I’ve become interested in how to apply the principles of health economics to improve decision making in a complex healthcare environment…. Read More >

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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

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 continues to climb. 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 allocated for healthcare improvements with $19.2 billion reserved exclusively towards advancing electronic health records and the overall exchange of health information. In order to effectively implement ARRA, also referred to as ‘Meaningful Use’, the United States government incentivized eligible healthcare professionals to participate. And by 2015, issued penalties for organizations non-compliant with the policy-… Read More >

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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. Sources: http://www.une.edu/about/glance https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/university-of-new-england-2050/academics https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/frans_van_houten_879034 https://online.une.edu/health-informatics/degrees/ https://online.une.edu/health-informatics/careers/ https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/university-of-new-england-OEDU0832/education https://www.careersinpublichealth.net/resources/masters-healthcare-informatics-salary-outlook/ If you are interested in pursuing a career in Health Informatics, or if you’re simply interested in discussing the program, please reach out to an Enrollment Counselor at (855) 751-4445 or via… Read More >

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Faculty Spotlight: Liz Zampino, Health Informatics program

Elizabeth Zampino

Liz Zampino is an adjunct faculty member at UNE Online in the Health Informatics program and is long-time professional in the world of health informatics, focusing on mobile health application design and adoption. Recently we spoke with Liz about her background as a Health Informatics professional, and her experience at UNE Online. Can you tell me a little about your background and how you got into the field of health informatics? I have a background in IT, and so it was a natural progression for me to go into clinical informatics. I was inspired to change my career path In 2004 when I was hospitalized for a few months due to a rare chronic disease. My time in the hospital gave me the opportunity to observe practicing clinicians firsthand, and up close. Over time, I couldn’t help but realize how clinicians would be able to provide care more efficiently and effectively with the addition of information technology. That got my wheels… Read More >

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Health Informatics Trends – with Liz Zampino

top health informatics trends

Liz Zampino is not only an adjunct faculty member at UNE Online in the Health Informatics program – she is also a long-time professional in the world of health informatics in the realm of mobile health application design and adoption. Last year she led a #HITedu Twitter Chat on behalf of UNE Online, on the topic ‘Engaging Patients in Mobile Health Design.’ We sat down with Liz recently to get her take on the top health informatics trends from the largest Health Informatics conference, HIMSS. You first went to HIMSS ten years ago when it was a fledgling event. How has it changed? Ten years ago, a great deal of the trade show floor was taken up by Electronic Medical Record (EMR) companies. Meaningful Use, which was part of a law requiring healthcare providers to show they’re using certified EHR technology in ways that can be measured significantly in quality and in quantity, was looming large. Exhibitors and attendees alike… Read More >

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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 is now the 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 team, and inhibited the workflow within the emergency department. Over time, it became evident to Megan that there had to be a better way to manage patient information, so she began to seek a solution. This search for a better… Read More >

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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 get increased exposure to our electronic health record and other aspects of data entry and reporting. Meanwhile, I had always considered returning to school for a graduate degree, but I had a tough time determining what degree was best for… Read More >

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Health Informatics - Your Questions Answered

Health Informatics Questions Answered

Our Enrollment Counselors field some really great questions from prospective students! In this post, we’ve asked Health Informatics Program Manager, Megan Landry, B.S.N., M.H.A.-Informatics to lend her expertise to these Health Informatics-related questions. If you were to have any questions about anything at all related to UNE Online or online education in general, leave them in the comments! To enter the Health Informatics program, does your Bachelor’s degree need to come from a specific field? No, your Bachelor’s degree does not need to be in a specific area. We have people from all walks of life in our Health Informatics programs. We tend to have more students on the clinical side of things (doctors, nurses, physicians, and pharmacists) but we also have some students on the IT spectrum of the industry, as well as students coming in with an insurance background. The field of informatics is so large that there are people from many many different industries and sectors looking… Read More >

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3 Top Trends in Health IT for 2018

3 Top Trends in Health IT for 2018

Health informatics has definitely been, and will continue to be, making headlines. From wearables and artificial intelligence to data acquisition and analysis and everything in between, health IT is ubiquitous. In 2018, as technology becomes more integrated into healthcare, the following look to be the top trends in health IT for 2018: Smart Hospitals 2018 will mark the push from digitally connected hospitals to “smart” hospitals, the next step in the evolution of connected healthcare. Investments will be earmarked for highly-skilled healthcare data analysts as well as their counterparts in software and hardware development, to create and refine and/or redesign processes and systems. According to Frost & Sullivan, market opportunity totals approximately $11. billion, with the data analytics market for smart hospitals reaching revenues of $5.9 billion in 2018. These investments will in go towards data analytics, patient monitoring, and cloud computing. Blockchain Though the digital technology of the blockchain platform has been around (in very small circles) for a… Read More >

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Meet Our Team: Jonathan Chavoustie

Jonathan Chavoustie, Student Support

Master of Social Work Course Descriptions *Please review the UNE Academic Catalog for the full and most up-to-date UNE online MSW course descriptions and program information The UNE Online MSW program is a fully CSWE-accredited program. This program provides the flexibility to choose from three specializations when designing your educational course plan, to best meet your specific personal and professional goals.  Courses are offered 100% online with timely, relevant content taught by dynamic faculty of practitioners, researchers, and educators. Traditional and Advanced Standing tracks are available in the online MSW. Please note the following when making course selections: Degree requirements, course plans, and the curriculum framework vary for each track option Required courses are offered every semester Electives are designated as enrichment and advanced Traditional students MUST complete their foundation field experience (SSW 522) before taking specialization courses – required and electives Advanced students can take enrichment and advanced electives. However, if a student is seeking licensure after graduation, they should take two advanced… Read More >

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Faculty Spotlight: Nan Solomons, Ph.D., Practicum Coordinator – Health Info

Nan Solomons, Ph.D., Practicum Coordinator

Dr. Nan Solomons is the Practicum Coordinator for the Master of Science in Health Informatics program at UNE Online. We spoke with her this week to discuss the field of health informatics, and how she supports students through their Practicum process. How did you get interested in the field of Health Informatics? I got interested in the field of Health Informatics when the internet bubble burst in 2002 and my career in software support and implementation imploded. I was out of a job and looking to retrain into a new career. I spent a year trying to decide what I wanted to be in this new phase of my life because I realized that the software world I had known was not going to exist in the future. The EMRs (Electronic Medical Records) were just coming to the fore and I thought that my software experience would be a value to them. In fact, it wasn’t! I found that I… Read More >

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Program Manager Spotlight: Megan Landry, BSN, MHA – Health Informatics Prog

Program Manager Spotlight Megan Landry, Health Informatics program

Megan Landry, BSN, MHA, is the Program Manager for the Graduate Programs in Health Informatics at UNE Online. To start off, let’s define Health Informatics. What is Health Informatics? Program Manager Megan Landry, explains. Megan Landry, B.S.N., M.H.A.-Informatics directs the Health Informatics Programs at UNE Online. The early years of Megan’s career were spent in healthcare. As a nurse, she was responsible for both the direct care of patients and the management of their health information. Over the years, Landry developed a passion for the efficient use of health information technology to improve quality of care. “I quickly saw how technology could both improve safety and health outcomes for patients,” she said. But in the same breath, she added, “I also saw how poorly designed and implemented technology could cause safety and quality challenges.” And so she has dedicated much of her career, in both provider and academic settings, to seeing that health IT is developed, implemented, and managed, in… Read More >

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Student Spotlight: Michele Marshall, Health Informatics Program

Michele Marshall, MSIN Student

Michele Marshall is a Master of Science in Health Informatics (MSIN) student originally from Casco, Maine. With a strong interest in healthcare and science, Michele spent twenty years working as a medical technologist. Michele currently balances working full-time as a microbiology software analyst for a medical technology company with family life and her studies. Deciding to pursue Health Informatics Michele’s passion for technology and science led her to earn her Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology from Rochester Institute of Technology. After she earned her undergraduate degree she worked as a medical technologist in various clinical laboratories for over twenty years. Working in labs, part of her job involved utilizing databases – which she enjoyed. After leaving the clinical lab, she pivoted to a role in Infection Control for a short time. In this job, she saw how critical properly managing data and information platforms was to hospitals. After working for Infection Control, Michele drew on her experience working with… Read More >

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Announcing – NEW – Health Informatics Focus Areas

Health Informatics focus areas

In celebration of National Health IT week, we are pleased to announce the creation of three NEW focus areas for our Master of Science in Health Informatics degree. You are now able to select one of the following areas as a specialization: Healthcare Leadership Health Data Analytics Training and Development These three focus areas complement our existing Master of Science in Health Informatics degree, making the degree even more of a positive return on investment. Students can opt to pursue one of the three focus areas or complete their degree as a Generalist. More about each focus area: 1. Healthcare Leadership Focus Area The Healthcare Leadership focus area prepares the Masters of Health Informatics students with the knowledge and skills ideally suited for a leadership position in healthcare. Students will obtain the skills needed to be successful leaders including; leadership skills and tactics, strategic thinking, development of initiatives, strategic planning, financial management, and healthcare supply chain. 2. Health Data Analytics… Read More >

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Health IT Education and Career Growth

Health IT Education and Career Growth

By: Megan Landry, BSN, MHA – Informatics, Program Manager for Graduate Programs in Health Informatics at the University of New England Online As the Program Manager for the University of New England’s graduate programs in Health Informatics, I’ve had the opportunity to see first-hand the power of education in health informatics. As the field of health informatics grows, there is a tremendous need for educated professionals to fill crucial roles. One of the greatest challenges in health informatics today comes from ensuring that new health informatics professionals are equipped with the skills and knowledge to make sure that healthcare technologies are implemented effectively and in a way that improves efficiency, affordability and patient outcomes. The great need for health informatics education Formal education in health informatics serves to fill critical gaps in the workforce through technical training, healthcare knowledge, and management training. As the Program Manager for UNE Online’s graduate programs in Health Informatics, my job is to prepare future… Read More >

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Meet Our Team: Alexandra Legere

Alexandra Legere, Enrollment Counselor

Alexandra Legere is an enrollment counselor. She also stars in UNE Online’s Facebook Live videos answering your questions about UNE, the application process, and graduate school. As an enrollment counselor, Allie enjoys hearing the passion in potential student’s voices and working with them as they take charge of their futures by applying to graduate school. At UNE Online, students are our top priority, and their success is what drives each and every one of us to do what we do. We’d like to share a little bit about the people that are dedicated to making that happen every day. What do you do at UNE Online? I am an Enrollment Counselor for the Public Health, Applied Nutrition and Health Informatics graduate programs. This means I chat with potential applicants about the program to determine if it’s a good fit for their goals. I then work with them to help them complete their applications. Where are you from? I’m from right… Read More >

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Student Spotlight: Vandna Bhambri, Health Informatics Program

Vadna Bhambri, MSIN Student

Vandna Bhambri is a Master of Science in Health Informatics (MSIN) student from Boston, Massachusetts. With a desire to help people within the healthcare field and a passion for technology, health informatics was a natural career choice. “I knew that there was a demand for Health Informatics and a limitless world of possibilities for what I could do with an advanced degree.” After growing up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Vandna earned a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University of Illinois-Chicago. She’s currently working in a role that ties into the health informatics field. Her job is focused on training hospital staff, super users and end users on how to use Epic software at a top medical facility in Massachusetts. In this role, Vandna trains the staff to “get acclimated to the interface” and helps them “navigate around the system so that they can perform their jobs efficiently.” In addition to working by day and studying by… Read More >

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