Learn to manage IT, Master of Science in Information Systems (MS), University of Colorado Denver Business School, CU Denver

Clinical Leader - Executive Certificate Program

The certificate program for executive leadership in health information technology is targeted to those health care and public health professionals with managerial experience that will lead the deployment and use of health IT to achieve transformational improvements in quality, safety and outcomes. These individuals will seek employment as chief medical information officer (CMIO), chief nursing informatics officer (CNIO). In public health agencies, this role may be currently expressed through job titles such as chief information or chief informatics officer. For this role, the entering trainees may be physicians or other clinical professionals (e.g. advanced-practice nurses, physician assistants) or hold a master’s or doctoral degree(s) in public health or a related health field.

Requirements

The executive leadership certificate has the following requirements:

• bachelors degree or equivalent in a clinical field
• 2 years of previous management experience
• completed application
• letter of reference from employee's chief executive
• scholarship acceptance agreement

Courses

The executive leadership curriculum consists of five three-credit courses, for a total of 15 credit hours.

Scholarship applications ​are now open

We are now accepting applications to enroll in the fall 2010  programs. The application deadline is July 15, 2010. For more information about how to apply, degree requirements and eligibility, please review read the requirements tab.

If you are not yet interested in applying to the program at this time but would like to receive program updates via email, please complete the sign-up form.

Deadlines

Applications are good for one year. If all supporting materials are not received within one year, a new application and a new fee payment will be required.

For any questions, please contact the administrative assistant by phone at (303) 724-5515 or e-mail hitec@ucdenver.edu.

We are offering two different types of educational programs. Individuals that receive scholarships through the HITEC program will have a good portion of their tuition and fees covered. Each program has specific requirements that are described on the Applicant as follows:

• Online program that must be completed in one year.
• Tuition and/or mandatory university fee expenses will be supported by this grant, up to a maximum that is equal to the lesser of the following: (1) the total tuition and fees normally applicable to the number and type of credit hours involved; or (2) $10,000 per trainee, whichever is less.

Scholarship Requirements

All programs are at the graduate level and require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. All programs must be completed within the defined timelines or the student may have to repay the scholarship.

Each certificate program is one year in length and requires five 3-credit courses. Applicants must attend full-time which translates into two courses in the fall and spring semester and one course in the summer.

We have a few scholarships for master’s degrees available only for a limited amount of individuals. The master’s program requires full-time attendance of the online program for two years until complete. The application deadlines for the masters program for fall 2010 admission have already passed. If interested in this program, it is advised you begin your application process for spring admission soon.

Train now for one of the hottest careers of the decade!

Health information technology (HIT) has been identified as one of the high growth industries eligible to receive Federal stimulus monies to prepare workers for careers in the health care sector. The HIT field is expected to create 50,000 new jobs nationwide. The U.S. Department of Labor has identified HIT as a high growth and emerging industry sector. This means that the federal government is providing tuition funding to support progression in career pathways to develop the health information workforce that can facilitate the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) and meaningful health information exchange (HIE).

Health IT hottest career trend for college graduates

A recent study from the University of California San Diego Extension listed health IT as the number one career opportunity in 2010. Thanks in part to government initiatives, jobs and needs in the health information technology field are a critical component of plans for positive change in the health care industry, this study reports.

Health IT to fuel job growth for consultants

KLAS Enterprises reports that nearly 70 percent of health care providers nationwide expect to hire outside consultant firms to help them achieve meaningful use and thus qualify for federal EMR subsidies.

Ahead of the Curve: Health Informatics Specialist

"The job market for health informatics people is absolutely out of sight," exclaims Merida Johns, founding director of the graduate program in health informatics at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. And it's no surprise: hospitals, insurers, and regional collaboratives are switching to electronic medical records. Nurses and doctors, urged to do more evidence-based medicine, are using computerized expert systems to guide their diagnoses and treatment recommendations. Health care providers are also collecting more data to evaluate quality of care.

Nursing Informatics play a key role in information technology

The results of a recent survey suggest that informatics nurse professionals play a crucial role across a wide variety of information technology areas. On a scale of one to seven, where one is a low rating and seven is the highest rating, respondents reported an average score of 6.29 with regard to the value informatics nurses bring to the IT systems implementation process.

Many more HIT pros needed as EMRs roll out

A new study backed by AHIMA suggests the HIT workforce will need to expand dramatically in coming years to meet demand. The study, which drew on data from the HIMSS Analytics Database, found that while there are about 108,390 HIT professionals available in the U.S. today, providers will need an additional 40,784 to support widespread EMR adoption, or about 40 percent.

Health care CIO leadership reports that 42% will increase their staffing within the next 12 months

The 20th Annual HIMSS Leadership Survey revealed that health care CIOs strongly believe that IT can have a positive impact on health care delivery, with 38 percent of respondents suggesting that IT will reduce medical errors. Another quarter noted that IT will improve clinical/quality outcomes. Clinicians play an active role in multiple facets of IT at their organization, from system evaluations to acting as project champions to developing policies and procedures related to clinical information systems.

HITECH

An unprecedented $19 billion program to promote the adoption and use of health information technology (HIT) from the federal stimulus package is fueling this scholarship program. Learn more about the HITECH program (and workforce development initiatives like the Colorado HITEC scholarship program from the National Coordinator for Health IT, Dr. David Blumenthal.

University of Colorado – HITEC Program Announcement

 University of Colorado College of Nursing awarded $2.6 million to expand Health Information Technology workforce.

Colorado Health Information Education Collaborative (HITEC), a program within the College of Nursing health care informatics program, was awarded $2.6 million grant to expand education in the this rapidly growing field.

HIT Grad Shari Stewart didn’t expect her career to dramatically change, but this spring she got a new job with substantial increases in pay and​ responsibility

Read more about her success at HHS.gov/Recovery​