Powering the Future of Healthcare

This fall, Dominican University is offering undergraduate students, healthcare and IT professionals the opportunity to join an emerging field linking healthcare and technology, a sector that is forecast to experience major growth and generate high-paying careers. The new program focuses on public health informatics which is the science of using data, information, and knowledge to improve human health and the delivery of services by solving complex healthcare issues.

The program offers an online certificate for those with a bachelor’s degree who are already in the workforce. Undergraduate students can earn a concentration or minor and will take daytime classes in person while evening classes will be virtual. Classes begin August 30th. Those in the healthcare and IT fields with interest are encouraged to learn more through the scheduled Zoom sessions or by visiting https://try.dc.edu/phitforce/ . Financial support may be available through employers as well as through financial aid.

“Whether you’re seeking to enter the healthcare field, want to accelerate your healthcare or IT career, or are an employer in need of a workforce with upgraded skills, the Public Health Informatics and Technology (PHIT) program at Dominican can open the door to a wealth of opportunities,” stated Carrie Boericke, PHIT Program Director. She added, “The difference between Dominican’s program and other similar offerings is that ours is taught through the lens of public health, with its focus on epidemiology, social determinants of health and interoperabilty.”

The future of healthcare is being powered by data. The highly trained specialists who can connect people, technology, and information to improve healthcare outcomes and safety while streamlining costs will be in great demand. In fact, Health Informatics is in the top 10 highest-demand healthcare occupations and is growing 10 times faster than healthcare jobs overall. Salaries can range from about $69,000 to more than $132,000. Obtaining a degree or completing a certificate in this area could result in increased salary, faster advancement, and job security.

Private medical practices, hospitals, and larger healthcare systems are increasingly transitioning to all-electronic data collection and other digital tools, paving the way for a workforce that can manage all facets of data analytics from telehealth visits, virtual patient engagement, mobile apps, billing, and insurance reimbursements. Some of the jobs that will be in high demand include Nurse Informaticist, Public Health Informaticist, Data Analyst, Public Health Data Quality Analyst, and Clinical Informatics Specialist.

The PHIT courses will include a discussion of career options and case studies of how it can be used to address health disparities in communities. Students will then hone data and project skills in an emergency response role-play exercise, simulating a public health emergency.

All PHIT students will have a paid internship to cap off their studies, recognizing that employers are looking for real-world experience among job applicants. Those internship opportunities are being provided, in part, by a consortium of partners that are advising the program, including Bon Secours Charity Health System, CorEvitas, Cornerstone Family Healthcare, Mount Sinai Health System, EmpiRx Health, and the New York State Department of Health.

Registration is taking place now for Dominican University’s Public Health Informatics and Technology programs. Several Zoom sessions are being offered this month to provide more information and answer questions:

● August 17 (Wednesday) noon

● August 18 (Thursday) 7pm

● August 23 (Tuesday) noon

● August 24 (Wednesday) 6pm

● August 25 (Thursday) noon

To register for the Zoom sessions, visit: https://tinyurl.com/phitforce

The PHIT program at Dominican College is funded through a $1.9 million PHIT Workforce Program grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). Dominican College was one of only 10 higher education institutions nationwide to receive this funding. The grant aims to strengthen U.S. public health information technology efforts, improve COVID-19 data collection, and increase the diversity of the public health IT workforce. More information about the program can be found here: https://try.dc.edu/phitforce/

ABOUT DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1952 by the Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt, the College began as a two-year college for religious women to become educators. Over the years, the campus expanded to accommodate a growing enrollment and to welcome resident students. Dominican has been named both a College of Distinction and a Catholic College of Distinction. On the U.S. News & World Report 2022 Best Colleges List, Dominican was ranked #21 out of Regional Universities North for social mobility. It is also designated a Hispanic Serving Institution and was recognized as Military Friendly. In May of this year, Dominican College was elevated to the status of a university, becoming the first university in Rockland County. More information can be found here. https://www.duny.edu/