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Many graduate programs miss or short change perhaps the most important skill set for this new kind of practitioner: the translational, communication and interpersonal skills that make the difference between success and failure during selection, implementation and optimization of healthcare IT systems. 

What makes our program unique is familiarization with critical skills in change management, knowledge management, project management, organizational psychology, generational differences, human-machine interfaces and optimization tools such as Lean and Agile.

Today’s multi-institution healthcare delivery systems and even larger stand-alone hospitals employ clinician ‘Champions’ to assist with the implementation of health-related information technology projects such as electronic medical records and meaningful use. Commonly, preparation for this role is simply familiarization with the operation of the system being installed. This does not solve problems such as resistance to change and designs for the optimization of dashboards. A full set of change management skills adds significant value to employing either Informaticists or Champions both during and after initial deployments of new systems or upgrades and optimization of present systems.

Program Goals

A successful student of the program gains the following skills (vary according to the degree/concentration taken):

  • Lead healthcare information technology teams to analyze healthcare-related IT systems;
  • Evaluate today’s analytic tools to select the appropriate tools for data analyses;
  • Lead healthcare information technology teams to develop innovative techniques;
  • Leverage insights from analysis of healthcare data and evaluation of the socio-political environment to devise programs aimed at improving the health of the community; and,
  • Apply appropriate principles to create clear and effective communications for a variety of audiences.
Best in Healthcare Infomatics

Best MASTER’S IN HEALTH INFORMATICS

A 2023 Intelligent.com ranking places HU’s MS Healthcare Informatics at 10th in the nation in traditional, hybrid, and online formats, putting it ahead of programs at Boston University, George Mason, Stanford, Rutgers, and many more.

Program Certificates

Healthcare Informatics

This 15-semester hour certificate program in Healthcare Informatics prepares the student with the basics of healthcare informatics in order to function effectively as project champions for healthcare information technology implementations and other basic informatics functions. A student may complete this program as a non-degree graduate student or as a Master of Science degree-seeking student.

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) Partnership

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) and Harrisburg University have partnered to offer a dual PharmD/MS in Healthcare Informatics (PharmD/MSHI). Acceptance into PCOM’s PharmD program includes admission into the Online Masters in Healthcare Informatics program, which students may take after completing 1 year of the PCOM PharmD program. Eligible PCOM PharmD students and alumni will receive up to nine (9) transfer credits from PCOM towards completion of the Masters in Healthcare Informatics program.

Students must maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA in order to transfer PCOM credits.

PCOM Dual PharmD/MS Healthcare Program

  1. Complete the application for the Online Program.  Apply here.
  2. Submit a professional resume.
  3. Request official transcripts, resume and any documents be sent to GradTranscripts@HarrisburgU.edu.
  4. Direct questions to PCOM@HarrisburgU.edu.

Executive Format

Students who wish to take the program in executive format (weekly classes online and on-campus one Saturday per month), should email PCOM@HarrisburgU.edu.

Program Lead

 Michael L. Seavers, Ph.D., MBA, MHA, MSCS

Michael L. Seavers, Ph.D., MBA, MHA, MSCS Assistant Professor and Program Lead of Healthcare Informatics

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Full Time Faculty

Mark Crider, Ph.D., RN

Executive Director, Professor and Program Lead of Nursing

Albert Sarvis, PMP, GISP

Associate Vice President of Continuous Improvement and Program Lead of Geospatial Technology

Michael L. Seavers, Ph.D., MBA, MHA, MSCS

Assistant Professor and Program Lead of Healthcare Informatics

Corporate Faculty

Program Courses

This program requires a total of 36 semester hours: 1) 15 semester hours from the core courses listed below, 2) 6 semester hours of experiential courses, and 3) 15 semester hours of Individualized Concentration courses. The semester hour value of each course appears in parentheses ( ).

HCIN 500 – Healthcare Informatics (3 credits)

This is the survey course for the Program in Healthcare Informatics, both for the certificate and the master’s degree. The student is exposed to the full range of healthcare informatics as it is employed in today’s workplace. This course discusses issues, trends, challenges, and applications related to the role of the Informaticist in Healthcare Systems and Institutions including big data management, electronic medical records systems, eHealth, data governance and data sharing. Casebased and project-based approaches are used for discussion and assignments. The student does not require academic healthcare system knowledge beyond that contained in ISEM541 Healthcare Systems, although clinical experience facilitates more rapid assimilation of content material and a deeper understanding of the overall curriculum. The overall goal of the course is familiarity with the potential contributions of informatics to both health outcomes and business operations so that successful learners return to their workplaces with sufficient knowledge to immediately function more effectively and efficiently as Informaticists.

HCIN 515 – Essential Informatics Skills I (3 credits)

This is the first half of the keystone course for the Program in Healthcare Informatics, both for the certificate and the master’s degree. The student engages in a 3-credit executive format course which provides them with a robust set of tools for devising customized potential solutions to a range of Healthcare Information Technology (HIT) implementation challenges facing healthcare systems today. Interactive sessions are needed to facilitate mastery of interpersonal skills. The goal of the course is familiarity with basic techniques and current best practices for the planning, evaluation, implementation, adoption and optimization of healthcare IT systems. The successful learner will be able to plan and execute HIT projects, facilitate change, communicate effectively with all staff, and intervene with problem adopters.

HCIN 520 – Essential Informatics Skills II (3 credits)

This is the second half of the keystone course for the Program in Healthcare Informatics, both for the certificate and the master’s degree. The student engages in a 3-credit executive format course that provides them with a robust set of tools for devising customized potential solutions to a range of Healthcare Information Technology (HIT) implementation challenges facing healthcare systems today. Interactive sessions are needed to facilitate mastery of interpersonal skills. The goal of the course is familiarity with basic techniques and current best practices for the planning, evaluation, implementation, adoption and optimization of healthcare IT systems. The successful learner will be able to lead multidisciplinary teams, plan and execute HIT projects, work in an Agile/Lean environment, leverage adult learning theory, optimize the human-computer interface, and advise on HIT compliance issues.

HCIN 545 – Healthcare Data (3 credits)

This course addresses the central role of healthcare data in both health outcomes and business operations. This is the basic course in healthcare data management for the ISEM graduate program as well as the program in Healthcare Informatics, both the certificate and master’s degree. The goal of the course is familiarity with basic techniques and current best practices for the governance, collection, cleaning, storage, sharing and handling of healthcare data. Case-based and project-based approaches are used for discussion and assignments. Prior experience in healthcare systems is not required, but knowledge of material contained in ISEM 541 Healthcare Systems is helpful in establishing context. Cross-listed with ISEM 545

HCIN 550 – Intro to Healthcare Analytics (3 credits)

This is the analytics survey course for the Program in Healthcare Informatics, both for the certificate and the master’s degree. Graduate students are exposed to the wide range of analytics tools and techniques used in today’s workplace. The ultimate goal of the course is familiarity with the strengths and limitations of these tools so that successful learners return to their workplaces with sufficient knowledge to ask appropriate questions of the available data, choose the appropriate tools and techniques used to analyze the available data, and explain the strengths and weaknesses of any inferences made. Master’s Degree students in Healthcare Analytics desiring more in-depth analytics application knowledge will pursue elective courses in ANLY. The student does not require mathematical knowledge beyond high school level algebra, although introductory calculus knowledge facilitates understanding in a few areas such as matrices, vectors, and rates of change.

International Admissions

Information for Students who want to come to the U.S.

The University is home to more than 5,000 international students representing 110 countries.

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