Regenstrief, Indiana U offer new IT grad programs

In collaboration with the biomedical and public health informatics research foundation Regenstrief Institute, the Indiana University School of Informatics in Indianapolis will create specialized one- and two-year graduate programs to address the health IT workforce needs.

While a growing number of hospitals and physicians want to offer their patients the benefits of EMRs and health information exchanges, there is a nationwide shortage of health IT workers to fill an estimated 60,000 positions, according to the university.

The new programs are supported by a $1.4 million competitively awarded training grant from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) as part of a $118 million effort by ONC to increase the availability of skilled health IT professionals.

Offering a combination of classroom instruction, distance accessible learning opportunities and on-the-job training, training programs include:

• Clinician leader (one-year training program);
• Public health leader (one-year training program);
• Health information management and exchange specialist (one-year training program);
• Health information privacy and security specialist (one-year training program);
• Programmer and software engineer (one-year training program); and
• Research and development scientist (two-year master's degree).

Tuition support is available for the most qualified applicants, the university stated. More information on the programs can be found on the university's web site.