The role of information technology (IT) exploded to the forefront of healthcare access during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the industry’s digital transformation began long before the widespread adoption of telemedicine and online patient portals.
COVID-era technology innovations enabled healthcare providers to improve the quality of care while reducing costs — the industry’s two most critical goals— by scaling up remote delivery to sustainable levels. Still, while the industry ranks among the fastest in the deployment of IT disruptors such as healthcare information systems (HIS), its transformation is far from complete.
Given “an ever-changing digital landscape, it will be imperative for healthcare providers to move beyond the planning stage and start implementing technology that improves patient experience,” Digital Directions advises.
That urgency is creating a high demand for professionals with specialized expertise. Students can develop these skills in the online Master of Science (M.S.) in Management Information Systems (MIS) program offered by Lamar University.
What Are Healthcare Information Systems (HIS)?
Healthcare information systems, or HIS, is a subset of the MIS enterprise platform that collect, process, store and distribute information that supports decision-making processes.
HIS integrates business management, databases, network infrastructure, software and analytics applications to enhance knowledge creation, collaboration and strategic planning. The industry uses HIS across the full spectrum of its sectors, including:
- Hospitals, doctors’ offices and outpatient care centers
- Pharmaceutical research and development
- Health insurance
- Government healthcare agencies
- Long-term care facilities
HIS “offers a win-win situation for both the patients and the healthcare providers when it comes to improving care delivery services,” Mobisoft Infotech notes.
Moreover, hospitals and healthcare systems that integrate enterprise resource systems (ERP) into their information systems ecosystem gain efficiencies and improve outcomes by automating daily management and clinical operations and increasing visibility across the enterprise.
What Processes Do HIS Platforms Optimize?
HIS draws data from, among other things, activities such as patient registration and admission, medication records, billing and insurance claims submission and payments, delivery quality control and assurance, and other records and systems like the following:
- Electronic health records (EHR) are digitized patient files shared electronically among providers to coordinate diagnoses, deliver efficient and effective care, support reliable prescribing and promote accurate and secure documentation.
- Picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) account for 90% of overall medical data, and healthcare planners are digitizing X-rays, MRIs and CT scans and transferring storage to the cloud to streamline management, expanding access among radiologists and providers.
- Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) integrate medical knowledge and patient data to provide evidence-based recommendations to healthcare professionals to make more accurate diagnoses, prevent medical errors and enhance clinical decision-making and problem-solving.
Because of those benefits, “the implementation of information technologies in healthcare centers is no longer something that is nice to have, but something that you need to have,” an article citing the MIT Sloan Management Review notes. It also notes that in an MIT survey of IT managers, nearly 8 in 10 respondents said digital transformation is “critical,” while over 6 in 10 found the pace of adoption too slow.
What Makes Information Systems a Good Career Path?
Demand for information systems managers significantly exceeds the supply of professionals with the insights to analyze, design and maintain data systems to support business activities and improve performance across an organization. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) government predicts industries — including healthcare — will add over 509,000 jobs in the field for a growth rate of 16% through 2031.
The Lamar University online M.S. in MIS program equips graduates with in-demand expertise in technology-based solutions. The curriculum includes the following courses:
- Healthcare Information Systems focuses on concepts and applications related to the high growth of data management, applications and analytics that are revolutionizing the $4.6 trillion industry.
- ERP Overview explores fundamental business processes and enterprise systems like those deployed by hospital systems and private and government insurance providers.
- Managerial Decision Making immerses students in the analytics and data collection, assessment and interpretation that healthcare leaders use to reduce costs and improve patient outcomes.
As a member of the SAP University Alliance, Lamar provides M.S. in MIS students with a unique and intensive hands-on educational experience. SAP comprises 440,000 customers and 21,000 SAP partner companies in over 180 countries, and graduates can augment their credentials by earning SAP certifications.
Lamar University’s online M.S. in MIS program equips graduates with insights and expertise that enrich their marketability and earning potential. It also prepares them for SAP TS410 – Integrated Business Processes in SAP S/4HANA certification, a significant professional enhancement that can open doors to new possibilities in the widely used SAP ecosystem.
In fact, as part of Lamar University’s alliance with SAP, students have access to a deep discount towards the certification along with certified instructors who prepare them for the exam. Graduates of the program will be equipped to use information systems in a number of healthcare spaces.
Learn more about Lamar University’s online M.S. in MIS program.
