New Oregon Institute of Technology Program Meets Workforce Demands in Changing Healthcare Industry
Portland, OR (July 7, 2008) th Recognizing the increasing workforce demands of the healthcare industry, the Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT) recently introduced a Bachelor of Science degree option in Health Informatics. Health informatics is one of the fastest growing th and highest paying th jobs available for college graduates, and OIT is the first Oregon university to offer a baccalaureate program that prepares students for this promising field.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Portland, OR ( July 7, 2008 ) – Recognizing the increasing workforce demands of the healthcare industry, the Oregon Institute of Technology ( OIT ) recently introduced a Bachelor of Science degree option in Health Informatics. Health informatics is one of the fastest growing – and highest paying – jobs available for college graduates, and OIT is the first Oregon university to offer a baccalaureate program that prepares students for this promising field.
Health informatics – applied healthcare IT – is seen as one of the key components to creating an improved, higher-quality healthcare system. Health informatics is the link between management, computer information technologies and medicine.
A graduate of OIT’s Health Informatics program will be able to design, analyze, implement and support emerging technologies – such as electronic medical records ( EMRs ) and administrative systems – needed in multiple areas of health care, from hospitals and health systems to insurance companies and research institutions. These professionals put technologies in place that help providers and patients access and utilize key information that will lead to safer, better health care.
With the emergence of EMRs and other health care IT, there is a high and growing demand for skilled health informatics specialists. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, employment of health informatics professionals is expected to grow by over 30 percent nationally through 2016, more than twice the growth rate for all occupations. Starting salaries for grads in this field can range from $45,000 to $75,000.
“OIT’s Health Informatics program will play a significant role in meeting the growing need for talented and skilled professionals in Oregon – and in the nation – by producing graduates who are knowledgeable in the areas of information technologies, management, and the health care system, and have acquired critical-thinking and problem-solving skills,” said Dr. Michael Kirshner, director of OIT’s Health Informatics program.
The Health Informatics curriculum is designed to meet the needs of the healthcare industry and includes course work in database and systems analysis, business management and organizational development. Students also take courses in the design and structure of the health care system. They receive real-world, hands-on experience in teamwork using current health care technologies through externships with leading organizations, senior projects and a unique Simulation Lab slated for Fall 2008.
In order to provide opportunities for a larger and more diverse student population, the program is designed to allow students with previous college credit or degrees to easily transfer course credits. With evening and weekend classes, the program schedule is geared toward working professionals. Small class sizes and instructor-led labs contribute to high-quality, personalized education.
“We are working with some of the region’s top health care organizations to develop a curriculum that will produce graduates ready to meet the needs of the industry,” Kirshner said. “Whether students are joining our program to take their associates degree to the next level, or to improve their chances of advancing at their current job, we can give them the skills they need to succeed in a field marked by technological changes and high demand.”
OIT’s Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology – Health Informatics is currently available through the university’s Portland and Klamath Falls campuses. For more information, please visit www.oit.edu/portland/IT/HI.
About OIT: Founded in 1947, Oregon Institute of Technology ( OIT ) is one of seven distinguished institutions belonging to the Oregon University System. OIT’s applied technology education model fosters an environment of experiential, high-touch learning so students are world-ready and employment-ready when they graduate. OIT students have a 97 percent success rate ( employment or grad school ), and the highest salaries of any Oregon public university graduate.
OIT earned the No. 10 spot among Baccalaureate Colleges in the West in the 2008 edition of “America’s Best colleges” by U.S. News and World Report. The university also ranked fourth in the Western ranking of the Top Public Baccalaureate Colleges.
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