Online MS in Health Informatics (MSHI) & Health Information Management
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Health informatics and health information management professionals use technology to help hospitals and medical workers deliver quality healthcare efficiently. With a master’s degree in health informatics, graduates can excel in this non-patient-facing IT-based healthcare career.
Healthcare is one of the fastest-growing sectors, with an estimated 2.6 million new jobs in demand in the coming decade. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), openings in healthcare careers will increase 16 percent between 2020 and 2030, a rate twice as high as the current 8 percent growth rate for all occupations in the United States.
While this occupational category includes patient-facing roles ranging from medical records specialists, physical therapists, nurses, and physicians, the explosive growth of this field equates to an increase in information technology (IT) services to support patients and professionals in healthcare settings.
Health informatics refers to activities involved in collecting, securely storing, and using healthcare information to help providers deliver services or care. These professionals manage information technology or serve in managerial roles. The job typically requires a mix of computer skills, information technology expertise, and specialized healthcare knowledge.
As an interdisciplinary field, it also requires a healthcare management and administration background and technology and information science skills. The BLS does not track specific occupational data for IT healthcare management but does show the general field of computer and information systems managers positions will increase by 11 percent in the coming decade, adding 52,700 new jobs (BLS 2021).
As more and more medical practices use electronic health records, the field of informatics becomes increasingly essential. Patients are concerned about privacy and security regarding their personal information online, and medical providers rely on these records to deliver care that may save or extend patients’ lives. In these ways, skilled health informatics professionals save people and organizations money and time.
A master’s degree in health informatics can prepare graduates for opportunities working for hospitals, insurance companies, primary care facilities, pharmacies, physician offices, and healthcare consulting firms. To improve the healthcare industry’s safety, efficiency, and effectiveness, healthcare informatics degree holders accept a range of healthcare IT positions. Examples include healthcare IT consultants, nurse informatics, medical records technicians, chief medical information officers, clinical data analysts, and multiple senior management roles.
Universities offer several programs that build health informatics skills. The two primary degree options include a master of science in health informatics (MSHI) and a master of science in health information management (MSHIM). These degrees are similar but emphasize different aspects of the field. For example, health informatics focuses on using applied information technology to improve healthcare. In contrast, health information management emphasizes using technology to store and retrieve patient data and comply with institutional and governmental regulations.
This guide highlights reputable and accredited online master’s degree programs that prepare students for managerial roles in health informatics. In addition, four faculty members of these schools are profiled to showcase some of the programs’ academic caliber and professional features.
Featured Online MSHI and MIHM Programs
ASU offers an online health informatics master’s degree through its department of biomedical informatics. The program combines knowledge management and information technology applied to the healthcare field. Graduates learn skills to help prevent disease, provide better care to patients, and make healthcare safer.
The program prepares students for career roles as data scientists, health informatics analysts, and EHR information systems analysts. The 30-credit program covers population health management and analysis, clinical decision support and evidence-based medicine, leadership and change in clinical environments, and health informatics database modeling and applications.
This program requires a bachelor’s degree with a 3.0 cumulative GPA. The school prefers applicants to have degrees in biology, computer science, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, or public health.
- Location: Tempe, Arizona
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Tuition: $893 per credit
- Program length: 12 to 18 months
The 100 percent online master of international health management (MIHM) offered by the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University (ASU) prepares graduates to generate a social impact in healthcare through transdisciplinary, globally-minded problem-solving.
The MIHM program is a part of the PLuS alliance—a partnership of Arizona State University, King’s College in London, and the University of South Wales in Sydney—allowing students to collaborate with and learn from peers and specialists across the globe. ASU’s MIHM is a 30-credit program that offers participants the ability to choose between four different emphases, including quality improvement in healthcare, health informatics, health economics, and hospital management.
Core courses in the program include healthcare management and finance and comparative health systems, and elective coursework includes topics such as healthcare systems and design and high-value patient-centered care. Applicants do not need to submit GRE or GMAT scores. However, MIHM admissions recommend applicants have a bachelor’s or master’s in a related science or service field (public health, nursing, biomedical informatics, etc).
- Location: Tempe, Arizona
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Tuition: $24,450
- Program length: One year (full-time); two years (part-time)
Boston University’s Metropolitan College offers an online master’s program in computer information systems with a concentration in health informatics. This program was designed by BU professors of medicine, computer science, and biomedical engineering to offer a holistic education on health informatics.
The interdisciplinary curriculum includes business data communication and networks courses, information systems analysis and design, enterprise cybersecurity, biomedical sciences, and health IT. Students can complete the program online, on-campus or in a blended format.
This 40-credit degree is ranked eighth-best online graduate computer IT program by the U.S. News & World Report. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited school and have completed college-level courses in IT.
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
- Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
- Tuition: $940 per credit
- Program length: Two years
Grand Canyon University provides an online master of science in health informatics (MSHI) that can be completed in two years. This 11-course, 42-credit program features instruction in electronic health records; the foundations of informatics; applied business probability and statistics; health data analytics; healthcare data management; healthcare information systems and technology; user interface design for informatics; health information systems security; leadership in healthcare; and a health informatics applied project and practicum.
- Location: Phoenix Arizona
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Tuition: $557 per credit
- Program length: Two years
SNHU created an online master of science in health information management (MSHIM) to satisfy the increasingly technical and data-driven demands of the healthcare industry. The program combines data analysis, business, and computer science topics through the lens of the healthcare industry. In addition, students learn to use innovative industry software like SQLite, Minitab Express, and Neehr Perfect.
The 36-credit curriculum includes health information management, health information governance, managing compliance, and strategic planning and financial management.
- Location: Manchester, New Hampshire
- Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges
- Tuition: $627 per credit
- Program length: 15 months
George Mason University’s College of Health and Human Services offers an online master of science in health informatics (MSHI) degree. This immersive program prepares candidates for positions in health information technology firms, healthcare organizations, and public health services. The online 39-credit program is taught by the same faculty that teaches the on-campus program. Coursework includes an introduction to health informatics, computational tools in health informatics, health data integration, and data mining in healthcare.
This program requires applicants to have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university with a minimum GPA of 3.25. Prior experience and coursework in healthcare, information technology, and statistics are also considered. Students may complete this program entirely online. However, there is an option to choose between a master’s thesis or an in-person practicum.
- Location: Fairfax, Virginia
- Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
- Tuition: $800 per credit
- Program length: 2.5 years
The University of Scranton offers two graduate-level options for those interested in furthering their career in health informatics: a master of science (MS) and an online certificate in health informatics. The school’s faculty offers real-world experience and shares a passion for teaching new healthcare professionals.
The MSHI program fuses communication, information science, business, computer science, and leadership skills. Students can expect to take 33 credits of core and elective courses, including computer information technology for health professionals, community health for health informatics, medical practice management, and project and change management. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree to apply and are not required to submit GMAT test scores.
- Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education
- Tuition: $757 per credit
- Program length: Two years
The University of Cincinnati’s College of Allied Health Sciences offers an online master’s of science in health informatics, designed in partnership with the school’s College of Business. Students benefit from a flexible and well-rounded interdisciplinary curriculum focused on analytics, healthcare, IT training, and leadership development. Some courses are taught by the Lindner College of Business faculty.
The 36-credit program covers health informatics, information systems and technology, health information legislation, privacy and security, project and program management, and leadership and strategic management in health settings. This program requires a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Tuition: $769 per credit
- Program length: Two years
The University of Central Florida’s College of Community Innovation and Education offers a 100 percent online master of science in health care informatics (MS-HCI), consisting of ten courses (38 credits). Students learn about the fundamentals of HCI through a capstone and internship and instruction in areas such as project management in healthcare informatics; epidemiology, analytics, and quality management; biostatistics and decision analysis; health care data architecture and modeling; and system analysis and design.
Please note that students without the qualifying undergraduate classes or experience in health care are required to complete three foundational courses prior to beginning the program. Also, graduates with the requisite knowledge and qualifications are prepared to sit for the Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA) certification exam.
- Location: Various cities in Florida
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Tuition: $773 per credit
- Program length: Two years
The University of Illinois at Chicago offers two graduate options in health informatics, including a master’s and a post-master’s certificate. Both programs prepare graduates to meet the growing demands for professionals to manage clinical systems, electronic health records, and patient safety. Some career prospects include becoming a healthcare chief information officer, director of clinical informatics, database analyst, and health information systems manager.
Critical courses for the 39-credit master’s program include healthcare data, healthcare information systems, management of healthcare communication systems, and health information systems analysis and design.
Admission to the school requires a bachelor’s degree and a master’s for the certificate and a minimum 3.0 GPA. No GRE is required.
- Location: Chicago, Illinois
- Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
- Tuition: $750 per credit
- Program length: Two to 2.5 years
The College of Public Health at Temple University offers a master of science in health informatics. This program is aimed towards current health information management and IT professionals wanting to pivot into healthcare IT management and health professionals with no prior health informatics experience. Graduates from this program are prepared to design, develop, and implement health information technology systems in healthcare settings and typically earn salary increases or leadership positions due to the knowledge and practical experience gained from this program.
Students can choose to complete this 30-credit program on-campus or online at their convenience. Courses include health data standards, IT strategy and management, and database administration. To graduate, students complete a capstone course simulation of a go-live training in a healthcare IT environment.
A dual degree program is also available and awards a master of public health (MPH) degree and the MSHI degree on-campus, online, or in a hybrid setting. In addition, students can choose from three optional specializations in cybersecurity for healthcare professionals, healthcare data analytics, and population health management.
- Location: Philadelphia, PA
- Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM)
- Tuition: $1,020 per credit (residents); $1,398 per credit (non-residents); $975 per credit (online)
- Program length: Two years
The Department of Public Health at the University of Massachusetts Lowell offers an online master of science in health information management. Ranked one of the most affordable online colleges, UMass Lowell prepares graduates for healthcare IT management by teaching students how to design, implement, and evaluate health policies and procedures. In addition, specialization options are available in health informatics and health service management.
Students in this program take 12 courses in health data management, storage, retrieval, access, exchange, and analysis to help graduates work with federal regulations and corporate best practices in data security. A GRE waiver is available, and students can complete this program in as few as 18 months.
- Location: Lowell, MA
- Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education
- Tuition: $15,210 per year (residents); $26,990 per year (non-residents)
- Program length: 18 to 24 months
Professors to Know at Schools with Online MSHI Programs
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Miriam Isola, PhD - University of Illinois at Chicago
Dr. Miriam Isola is a clinical assistant professor of biomedical and health information sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has more than 35 years of experience as a healthcare professional. Her previous experience focused on epidemiology, administration, analysis and project, program management, and the implementation of automated data recording systems for healthcare organizations. She co-founded Sum-IT Health Analytics, which helps healthcare organizations become data-driven.
As an educator, Dr. Isola developed a course on transforming healthcare using business intelligence and predictive analysis and is currently researching the development and strategic use of analytical tools in the medical field. She earned her doctor of public health degree at the University of Illinois, her master’s of public administration (MPA) from Roosevelt University, and her bachelor's from Valparaiso University. -
Victoria M. N. Wangia-Anderson, PhD - University of Cincinnati
Dr. Victoria Wangia-Anderson is the program director of health informatics at the University of Cincinnati. She developed the curriculum for the school's new master's of health informatics program and currently teaches several of the program's courses. She also manages student recruitment, application, admission, orientation and advising for the program. Previously, Dr. Wangia-Anderson was a research assistant professor and coordinator at the University of Kansas Medical Center and an informatics fellow at the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As a leader in the field, Dr. Wangia-Anderson is involved in health policy initiatives with the goal of engaging patients and clinicians in the use of health information technology and is a reviewer for the International Journal of Medical Informatics. Dr. Wangia-Anderson earned her doctorate in health informatics from the University of Minnesota, her master's in information science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and her bachelor's in biology from Earlham College, Richmond. -
Janusz Wojtusiak, PhD - George Mason University
Dr. Janusz Wojtusiak is an associate professor of health informatics and the director of the Machine Learning and Inference Laboratory at George Mason University. His research expertise includes machine learning, health informatics, artificial intelligence in clinical decision support and knowledge discovery in medical data, and several others. His professional emphasis is developing algorithms to predict patient and population outcomes.
Dr. Wojtusiak advises undergraduates, masters, and doctoral students in health informatics. He has authored or co-authored more than 100 research publications and presentations and teaches courses on machine learning, data mining, artificial intelligence, and computing applied in medicine. -
Margarete Zalon, PhD - University of Scranton
Dr. Margarete Zalon is the director of the graduate health informatics program at the University of Scranton. Her area of expertise is in adult and gerontological nursing. She teaches adult health nursing at the undergraduate and graduate level, professional issues for registered nurses returning to school, and nursing research for graduate and doctoral students. Outside of her award-winning professorial duties, she is also an adult clinical nurse specialist.
In addition, she published articles in many journals, and she wrote an instructional book for nurses to help them develop health policy and patient advocacy skills. Dr. Zalon earned both her doctoral and master's degrees in nursing at New York University and her bachelor's degree from Duke University.
