In spring 2011, Lewis University Graduate School of Management introduced a new Masters of Business Administration (MBA) concentration in Healthcare Informatics.

As a discipline, Healthcare Informatics has foundations in management information systems, health care, computer science and medical research. It is focused on the efficient and secure collection, storage, archival, retrieval and distribution of information
in a medical environment. The development of policies, acquisition and maintenance of devices, coding guidelines, systems analysis/design methods, and management of human resources knowledge assets are studied.

Recent and ongoing advances in information technology continuously introduce innovative techniques for data communications, storage and security. These advances lead to more efficient and cost effective alternatives to the existing technologies they replace. Medical research and health care fields have always been on the cutting edge of new technology. While new technologies continue to evolve, medical researchers and healthcare practitioners are expected to be more cautious in adapting the new
information technologies due to the sensitive nature of the data they are managing.

Regulations such as Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act (PSQIA) bring more stringent requirements on use of information systems compared to other disciplines.

Healthcare Informatics professionals manage the challenging task of employing new technologies to address the information needs in a medical setting. Healthcare Informatics, with its unique position at the intersection of information technology and
medical services, will continue to offer employment opportunities in the foreseeable future.

For more information, please contact Dr. Ibrahim Mescioglu at mescioib@lewisu.edu or
(815) 836- 5801.