Certificates

Health Informatics Certificate

The FSU School of Library & Information Studies Health Informatics Certificate program prepares students to be leaders in the Health IT field by strengthening skills in information management, technology integration and implementation, information organization, and information leadership. As information technology becomes seamlessly integrated with healthcare delivery, there is an increased demand for health professionals who can fully utilize and add value to clinical and public health data.

Health Informatics can be described as the application of information technology and information management to healthcare. This undergraduate certificate program is intended to develop expertise in the health information technology arena. At its core, the acquisition, storage, retrieval and use of information forms the basis of enhancing quality of care, reducing costs of delivery and improving access. The certificate is specifically designed to develop technical, leadership, and analytical skills that will facilitate success. The courses are constructed to provide the skills to positively impact student learning; collaborate with teachers to effectively use resources; and effectively prepare students to integrate emerging technologies into practice. Students will gain an detailed overview of health informatics, providing them with an entry point into the industry. The courses provide a broad understanding of the industry, relevant details on current events, including the "meaningful use" of electronic health records.

Certificate Overview

The program is designed for entry-level students (undergraduate level) and is open to all majors. Courses are offered face-to-face. Goals of the certificate include:

• Understand the healthcare system as it currently exists as well as understand the role of the "health informatics"
• Understand the role of data/information in the health care delivery process
• Integrate the various stakeholder viewpoints
• Explore new technology and communication approaches
• Acquire skills to participate in the planning, design, implementation, and maintenance of healthcare data systems
• Understand the process of IT implementation and management
• Understand the process of technology adoption at the organizational and individual levels
• Interact with a care delivery team and practicing professionals

Certificate Requirements

Students must take 3 CORE classes and 1 or more electives for completion of the certificate.

The following 9 credit hours are required. No other courses may be substituted for any of the courses listed below.

• LIS 4785 Health Informatics (3 credits) - Fall
• LIS 4776 Advanced Health Informatics (3 credits) - Spring
• LIS 4940 Internship (3 credits) – Fall, Spring, Summer

Electives include:

• COM 4930r Consumer Health Technologies (3 credits) – Spring
• NUR 3076 Communication in Healthcare (3 credits) – Fall, Spring

Other electives will be considered by the program coordinator. Core courses cannot be substituted.

Certificate Requirements

To receive the certificate, students must:

• Contact the Program coordinator to notify him that you are applying for the certificate
• Complete 12-credit hours of course work (four courses) from the approved list of courses, and
• Earn a C or higher in each of the four courses taken for credit

 Course Descriptions

 LIS 4785: Introduction to Health Informatics

 This course focuses on the emerging specialization in the health care industry that combines expertise in health care, information technology, and information management. The growth of healthcare in the economy has generated the need for information specialists, specifically knowledgeable about emerging technical solutions that can help improve health care delivery and health decision making. Emerging technology demands the need for skilled and trained professionals (Health Care Informaticians).

LIS 4776: Advanced Health Informatics

This course combines the theoretical foundation and the introductory materials from the previous course (LIS 4785) into reports that demonstrates technological competence and specialization that applies to the health care industry. Students will apply the IT knowledge to address real-life problems in the medical community. As information specialists, the students address various topics with emerging technological solutions that can help improve health care delivery and health care decision-making.

LIS 4940: Internship

 (S/U grade only) An opportunity to learn how to apply principles and techniques from HIT courses and Consumer Health courses in a professional setting. A minimum of forty-five (45) hours on the job per semester hour earned is required. May be repeated - maximum of six hours for credit.

COM 4930r: Undergraduate Seminar in Communication: Topical seminar concerning HIT; must be approved by Certificate Program Coordinator

The topic for Spring 2012 is Consumer Health Informatics & Technology. This course examines the design, use and evaluation of information and communication technologies for empowering health consumers and for helping support and improve their medical outcomes. Consumer health informatics espouses a patient-centered approach to designing health information systems and health education/promotion applications. As such, this course focuses on exploring users39 or health consumers39 health information needs and behaviors and how these can be integrated into the design of more accessible and effective health information systems and applications to support behavior change interventions.

NUR 3076: Communication in Healthcare

This course examines professional behavior, communication and relationship skills that are applicable to health care practice. The course emphasizes the development of interactive skills to facilitate effective communication with diverse health care populations and health professionals in a variety of settings about health issues. It provides an opportunity for the validation of each student39s interpersonal competence through a range of public speaking and interviewing experiences related to health care.

Content Provider: Ebe Randeree, Program Coordinator
Last Updated: July 7, 2011