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Assessing graduate programs for healthcare information management/technology (HIM/T) executives
1The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
International Journal of Medical Informatics
|April 6, 2004
Summary
This study assessed health informatics graduate programs using Certified Professional in Healthcare Information Management Systems (CPHIMS) exam objectives. Management-focused programs better aligned with CPHIMS, offering valuable insights for students choosing healthcare informatics education.
Area of Science:
- Health Informatics Education
- Curriculum Assessment
- Professional Certification Alignment
Background:
- Evaluating graduate-level health and medical informatics curricula is crucial for aligning education with industry standards.
- The Certified Professional in Healthcare Information Management Systems (CPHIMS) certification offers a benchmark for essential knowledge and skills in the field.
- Existing programs may vary in their coverage of CPHIMS objectives, impacting graduate preparedness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and apply a methodology for assessing the congruence of health/medical informatics graduate curricula with CPHIMS exam objectives.
- To compare the alignment of course objectives across different health informatics graduate programs with the CPHIMS certification requirements.
- To provide a tool for prospective students to evaluate program alignment with professional goals.
Main Methods:
- A methodology was developed to assess health/medical informatics graduate curricula.
- The 69 objectives from the Certified Professional in Healthcare Information Management Systems (CPHIMS) exam were used as the assessment basis.
- Program course objectives from four graduate programs were compared against the CPHIMS objectives.
Main Results:
- Two management-focused health informatics programs demonstrated higher alignment with CPHIMS objectives, covering 67% and 59% respectively.
- The other two programs assessed covered approximately one-third of the CPHIMS objectives (36% and 32%).
- Significant variation exists in curriculum coverage of CPHIMS objectives among graduate programs.
Conclusions:
- The proposed methodology effectively measures curriculum alignment with professional certification standards like CPHIMS.
- Health informatics programs with a management focus appear to better integrate CPHIMS competencies.
- This assessment tool can aid students in selecting graduate programs that match their career aspirations in health informatics.