Pace Launches Health Informatics Masters Due to Market Demand

Responding to market demands in the surging health and technology space, Pace University is adding a dynamic new master’s degree to help advance careers while meeting the growing needs of the healthcare sector.

In launching its Health Informatics master’s degree, a fully online program designed for working professionals, Pace is utilizing its exceptional faculty and expertise at its College of Health Professions (CHP) and Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.

“Improving outcomes for patients and reducing healthcare costs increasingly depend on employees who understand the interface of healthcare and data analytics, information technology and evidence-based clinical improvements,” said Marcus Tye, dean of the College of Health Professions. “Pace’s online MSHI, as a joint program of the College of Health Professions and the Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Studies, uniquely addresses this need with shared expertise in health professions and computer science.”

CHP Dean Tye and Seidenberg Dean Jonathan Hill both say they look forward to the program’s launch for graduate students seeking career development, as well as developing custom offerings for larger health sector employers.

“Healthcare technology is bringing us into an exciting world of truly personalized medicine and healthcare,” said Hill, dean of the Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems. “Right now, faculty from CHP and Seidenberg are working with students on innovative, interdisciplinary research projects that seamlessly blend healthcare and technology in ways that improve the healthcare experience not just for patients, but for medical professionals as well. This new program brings together the best of both worlds for people looking to make a difference.”

The curriculum brings together healthcare and technology in a growing field where average annual salaries are now upwards of $85,000 and projected job growth is at 22 % next year.

The demand is fueled by a need for professionals who are equipped to manage and utilize data: for example, they must have a command of healthcare, information systems, databases, and information technology in order to develop data-driven solutions to improve health services, reduce costs, and create efficiencies through strategic data analysis. They are also tasked with ensuring that patient health information, such as medical history, treatments and test results, are integrated, accessible, accurate and secure.

The program is designed for working professionals - healthcare IT technicians, medical clinicians, non-health IT programmers, analysts and data administrators, who are interested in advancing their careers or moving into a new field. The 30-credit program can be completed in four semesters, and upon completion, graduates will be fully equipped to work in a variety of health- and technology-related fields, such as telehealth, artificial intelligence (AI), software development, electronic medical records (EMR), and health trend tracking at top institutions in the field, including Memorial Sloan Kettering, New York/Presbyterian, Columbia, and New York University, as well as major pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer, Regeneron, and Bayer, among others.