Students Rank Among Top Three in Healthcare Informatics Contest
Competitors present their work to an audience of 325 at spring conference
Two Sacred Heart University graduate students recently placed first and third in a poster competition sponsored by the New England chapter of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS).
Roshani Patel placed first with her project, “The Role of Telehealth in Managing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in a Rural Area.” Swathi Kalagatla took third place with a poster on “The Role of Telehealth in the Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis.” Both students are pursuing master’s degrees in healthcare informatics (MSHI) at Sacred Heart.
Patel, a dentist from India, has seen many cases of COPD, which sparked her interest in the disease’s manifestation and treatments. “After coming to Sacred Heart University and enrolling in the MS in healthcare informatics program, I learned about the implementation of information technology in health care. Among all the technology, I found telehealth as one of the most beneficial technologies for post-management of chronic disease,” Patel said.
Out of 15 Sacred Heart students who applied, six were selected—including Patel and Kalagata—to present their posters virtually at the New England HIMSS 2021 annual spring conference, “Empowering People to Impact Health Through Information and Technology.” The posters were judged by members of the chapter’s Past Presidents Club.
This was the first time in years that HIMSS New England announced a poster contest, and the first time it was conducted virtually, due to COVID-19 restrictions. The chapter offers educational and networking opportunities in health care information technology throughout New England.
“We were really happy to conduct the contest,” said Monica Czulewicz, chair of student activities for HIMSS New England, who coordinated the event. “There was a lot of involvement from many people, and we’re planning to do this again next year and into the future. With this year’s momentum, we plan to keep it going.”
Amy Chacko, president of HIMSS New England, praised the students who participated in the competition’s final stages. “I’m very proud of the efforts put toward our student activity space, and this poster session in particular, especially given the challenge of the pandemic and being in a virtual world at the time,” she said.
“We are so proud of our students in the MS in healthcare informatics program,” said Stephen Burrows, director of healthcare informatics at SHU. “The successes of our students reflect the expertise of our faculty and their dedication to our students. As a member of the HIMSS New England student activities committee, I look forward to the poster competition becoming an annual event and will continue to encourage Sacred Heart students to participate.”
Students in Sacred Heart’s MSHI program study a variety of key topics across the field of healthcare informatics. Through a unique combination of real-world lessons and scholarly research, students follow a practical course of study led by professors with extensive expertise in healthcare informatics. Sacred Heart students are trained in practical and theoretical approaches to be positioned for success in this rapidly growing and changing industry.
To learn more, visit the healthcare informatics program webpage.
Photo: Pictured are Roshani Patel, left, and Swathi Kalagatla