Developing an online and in-person HIT workforce training program using a team-based learning approach

Workforce training in health information technology (HIT) is in demand as electronic health record adoption becomes a nationwide priority. Columbia University and Weill Cornell Medical College worked together to develop a 6-month ONC-supported certificate course. To identify relevant skills and knowledge, we conducted a needs assessment that included: interviews and focus groups with potential employers and current HIT employees; an analysis of both published literature on competencies and actual job listings; and the development of a diverse operations-oriented curriculum advisory committee, which help to synthesize the findings into 6 core curriculum modules. We selected a team-based learning approach, allowing us to train a diverse student body and providing opportunities to build collaboration skills. Our novel hybrid adaptation of team-based learning combines online and in-person activities. Lessons learned from the development of this program are likely to have widespread applicability as training programs in the field become more prevalent.