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The Information Systems Department has established an undergraduate minor in health information systems management.
[caption id="attachment_21815" align="alignnone" width="770"] UWL Information Systems Department Chair Kuang-Wei Wen has overseen development of an undergraduate minor in health information systems management. The minor is expected to help ease demand from medical clinics and public health departments needing employees with computer system skills for health-related professions.[/caption]
A new program at UWL aims to help ease demand from medical clinics and public health departments needing employees with up-to-date computer system skills for health-related professions.
The Information Systems Department has established an undergraduate minor in health information systems management (HISM). Students expected to take the program include business majors and those in health-related disciplines. The first class begins in fall 2013. It’s expected to attract about 25 students annually.
UWL Information Systems Department Chair Kuang-Wei Wen says the new minor has evolved from an online four-year healthcare information management and technology degree coordinated through UW Extension. In that program, UWL is part of a consortium that includes UW campuses in Green Bay, Parkside and Stevens Point.
Wen says the new minor utilizes the six courses offered at UWL from that program and adds others to the minor that can be completed in two years. “We’ve built up the expertise in health information systems on our campus,” explains Wen. “The new minor is a program that is attractive to our students and good for the community.”
Continuous changes in federal healthcare regulations alter work that needs to be completed by health professionals — all via computer systems. Wen says the HISM minor provides pertinent, up-to-date health information systems knowledge. He expects students completing the minor to use information systems to manage medical practices, along with making clinical decisions to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery.
“We need to have a more comprehensive program for health workers so they don’t fall behind on new procedures,” Wen explains. “Students completing our new minor can walk into a healthcare setting and feel comfortable.”
Graduates of the new minor will become more proficient in healthcare information technology and be ready to join technology project teams in the healthcare industry, notes Wen. While the program won’t focus on producing electronic medical record or electronic health record coders, he expects the minor to increase students’ marketability.
A closer look at the HISM minor
Program strengths
The HISM minor provides rigorous coverage and training in the areas of project management and healthcare data communications — strengths highly desirable in today’s healthcare professions.
Program special features
By taking the elective courses students can choose to learn data-driven decision support systems that are highly relevant to clinical decision making and care planning. Or, students can gain deeper exposure to IT management that is essential to practice management.
Program length
The HISM minor program typically takes two years to complete. However, students carrying HP 250 or IS 220 credits into the program may fast-track completion.