
Healthcare Informatics Graduate Certificate
Begin Your Journey Take the Next Step
The certificate in Healthcare Informatics has been developed to provide the knowledge and skills required to use information technology to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes and to advance in this growing field.
Coursework is designed for individuals who seek a career in healthcare informatics, who already have a bachelor’s degree but need to develop specific healthcare informatics skills, or those who want to increase their skill set and position themselves for advancement.
Students completing the certificate program will have knowledge and skills in the following areas:
- Configure, implementation and support of healthcare software
- Workflow design
- Understanding best practices and their integration into healthcare software
- Capture, manage and analysis of healthcare data
Admissions Criteria
- Online Application
- Non-refundable application fee
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
- Official transcripts from all undergraduate institutions attended. Sacred Heart University students and alumni may authorize the Office of Graduate Admissions to obtain their official SHU transcripts on their behalf
- Personal statement —a one-page statement describing career goals and reasons for interest in the program
- Two letters of recommendation
- Professional résumé
Program Requirements
Required Courses | 9 credits
This course features a high-level overview of healthcare informatics. Overviews of the following topics will be included: administrative and clinical software applications, healthcare systems acquisition, leadership skills, electronic health records, change management and organizational behavior, workflow design and reengineering, communications specific to the information systems leaders, healthcare information exchanges, and evidence-based medicine. A high-level look at the healthcare industry and recent government mandates will also be explored.
Utilization and leveraging of healthcare data can drive improvements in our nation's entire healthcare system as well as in the medical and economic wellness of patients through sharing practical guidance and unbiased information on how to harness these healthcare data and facilitating problem-solving, solution sharing, and education through the collection and analyzing of healthcare data.
Prerequisite: Take HINF-501
This course is designed to provide an understanding of specific skills required to collect and maintain electronic health data in our current technical and political environment. Examines overviews and issues specific to various types of hospital systems, methods used to interface between systems, and operational issues typical of hospital systems. The course also includes a study of controlled medical vocabularies typically used to define various types of health data as well as a survey of existing and evolving government-driven standards and regulations.
Prerequisite: Take HINF-501
Elective Courses
Select one of the following courses (minimum 3 credits)
Introduces the student to the business of healthcare at both an industry and individual business level. Includes department design, management of capital and operating budgets, budget planning process, strategic planning, and concepts necessary for the preparation and interpretation of financial statements. Additionally, the vendor identification and selection process as well as contract management will be discussed as it pertains to the healthcare environment.
Prerequisite: TAKE HINF 501
In this course, evidenced-based practice (EBP) qualitative and quantitative methodologies will be analyzed within the scope of the healthcare industry. Topics include identification, interpretation, and evaluation of research information sources, research design, data collection, computer-based data analyses, and privacy and protection of human subjects. Clinical decision support (CDS) technologies, which provide tools for the healthcare providers' decision-making, will be examined and debated. Data warehouses will also be discussed as they relate to facilitating and optimizing the research methodologies.
Prerequisite: TAKE HINF-501 OR HIS-501
This course serves as an introduction to managing healthcare information projects, including the development of the project charter and scope with emphasis on developing the competencies and skills required to successfully lead teams of technical, clinical, and professional specialists through workflow and work process redesign activities within a healthcare organization or system. Topics also include project initiating, planning and development, project management tools, budgeting, human resource management, project monitoring, and controlling and project closure. Advanced-level skills in using PM methodologies to create realistic project plans, schedule tasks and resources effectively, appropriately communicate with all stakeholders, and derive meaningful milestone deliverables to track and report progress for both simple and complex projects.
Prerequisite: Take HIS-501 or HINF-501 and HIS-550 or HINF-550
This course is to introduce the application of artificial intelligence in healthcare. The student will learn about where artificial intelligence is already being applied in informatics and how it can evolve in the near future. After the course, students will be able to understand how artificial intelligence is applied in informatics and how it can change the practice of healthcare and technology to improve healthcare efficiency. The course will teach basics about artificial intelligence applications, limitations, and opportunities in healthcare.
Prerequisite: Take HINF-501
Upon completion of the certificate program, the student will be better equipped to enter or continue as a professional in the healthcare informatics field.
More Information
The Latest in Healthcare Informatics
View More News-
Advancing SHU, FacilitiesPublished:New labs, classrooms and student spaces support growing demand in nursing and health professions -

New Associate College of Health Professions Dean Eyes Clinical, Strategic Partnerships
Faculty & Staff SpotlightPublished:Jordan Schweidenback brings experience in practice, administration and academic leadership to new SHU position -

SHU Launches New Center for Analytics
Academics, Community OutreachPublished:Sacred Heart’s new Center for Analytics unites graduate programs in business and health care to drive research, real-world learning and community impact

