The General Health Informatics (HI) track prepares students for the evaluation and management of health information technologies and systems. Graduates of this track analyze, design and evaluate health information systems. They may also perform data analytics projects to improve the quality of health care and reduce the cost of health care services. Students enrolled full-time can complete the program in three to four consecutive terms.
There are online and on-campus versions of this track. The curriculum and course contents are identical in these two versions. Domestic students can choose either of them according to their situation or preference before the enrollment. International students are required to attend the on-campus version of the track.
HI Curriculum Requirements
All students enrolled in the Health Informatics track are required to complete 36 credits. Courses are chosen with the advisor and a Plan of Study will be developed to enable each student to design an in-depth study of Health Informatics taking into account student’s previous academic preparation and experience.
Around half of our courses are only offered once per academic year. In this case, if a student fails to successfully complete a course, the student must retake the course the next academic year. Furthermore, this may also prevent the student from registering for the advanced-level courses and delay the date of graduation.
The Health Informatics curriculum allows students to choose from required courses and elective courses. Five elective courses are required to be chosen from courses offered in the department, two elective courses can be chosen from courses offered in the department, other departments in the SHRS or other academic programs within the University.
Curriculum Effective Spring 2023
Required Courses (12 credits)
- HI 2210 - Health Information and the Health Care System (3 credits)
- HI 2250 - Foundations of Health Informatics (3 credits)
- HI 2451 - Database Design and Big Data Analytics (3 credits)
- HI 2251 - Healthcare Analytics and Data Visualization (3 credits)
Elective Courses (24 credits)
- HI 2021 - Practical Statistics & Programming Using R (3 credits)
- HI 2022 - Introduction to Python for Health Informatics (3 credits)
- HI 2230 - Financial Management & Health Care Reimbursement (3 credits)
- HI 2231 - Talent Management and Human Resources (3 credits)
- HI 2236 - Quality and Performance Improvement in Healthcare: Methodologies, Core Skills, and Lean Green Belt Certification (3 credits)
- HI 2410 - Health Vocabulary, Terminology & Classification Systems (3 credits)
- HI 2411 - Revenue Cycle Analytics (3 credits)
- HI 2450 - Security, Privacy, Legal & Ethical Issues in Health Care (3 credits)
- HI 2452 - Digital Health (3 credits)
- HI 2454 - Data Science in Health Informatics (3 credits)
- HI 2453 - Data Analytics and Machine Learning in Health Science (3 credits)
- HI 2456 - Healthcare IT Trends and Innovation (3 credits)
- HI 2457 - Design Thinking in Health Informatics (3 credits)
- HI 2632 - Leadership and Project Management (3 credits)
- HI 2670 - Health Informatics Capstone/Internship (3 credits)
Curriculum Effective Fall 2022
Required Health Informatics Courses (12 credits)
- HI 2210 - Health Information and the Health Care System
- HI 2250 - Foundations of Health Informatics
- HI 2021 - Practical Statistics and Programming Using R
- HI 2455 - Database Design and Management for Healthcare
Elective Courses (24 credits)
- HI 2022 Introduction to Python for Health Informatics
- HI 2410 Health Vocabulary, Terminology and Classification Systems
- HI 2450 Security, Privacy, Legal and Ethical Issues in Health IT
- HI 2452 Digital Health
- HI 2453 Data Analytics and Machine Learning in Health Science
- HI 2454 Data Science in Health Informatics
- HI 2632 Leadership and Project Management
- HI 2650 Practical Research and Evaluation Methods
- HI 2231 Talent Management and Human Resources
- HI 2230 Financial Management and Health Care Reimbursement
- HI 2236 Quality and Performance Improvment in Healthcare: Methodologies, Core Skills, and Lean Green Belt Certification
- HI 2456 Healthcare IT Trends and Innovation
- HI 2670 Health Informatics Capstone/Internship
Curriculum Effective Spring 2021
Required Health Informatics Courses (12 credits)
- HI 2210 Health Information and the Health Care System
- HI 2250 Foundations of Health Informatics
- HI 2020 Practical Statistics and Programming Using Python and R
- HI 2451 Database Design and Big Data Analytics or
- HI 2455 Database Design and Management for Healthcare
Elective Courses (24 credits)
- HI 2410 Health Vocabulary, Terminology and Classification Systems
- HI 2450 Security, Privacy, Legal and Ethical Issues in Health IT
- HI 2452 Digital Health
- HI 2454 Data Science in Health Informatics
- HI 2632 Leadership and Project Management
- HI 2650 Practical Research and Evaluation Methods
- HI 2231 Talent Management and Human Resources
- HI 2230 Financial Management and Health Care Reimbursement
- HI 2236 Quality and Performance Improvment in Healthcare: Methodologies, Core Skills, and Lean Green Belt Certification
- HI 2456 Healthcare IT Trends and Innovation
- HI 2670 Health Informatics Capstone/Internship
Curriculum for Students who Entered Before Spring 2021
Required Health Informatics Courses (15 credits)
- HI 2250 Foundations of Health Informatics
- HI 2210 Health Information and the Health Care System
- HI 2410 Health Vocabulary, Terminology and Classification Systems
- HI 2451 Database Design and Big Data Analytics
- HI 2670 Health Informatics Capstone/Internship
Other Health Informatics Courses (21 credits)
- HI 2450 Security, Privacy, Legal and Ethical Issues in Health IT
- HI 2452 Digital Health
- HI 2454 Data Science in Health Informatics
- HI 2632 Leadership and Project Management
- HI 2231 Talent Management and Human Resources
- HI 2453 Data Analytics and Machine Learning in Health Science
- HI 2020 Practical Statistics and Programming Using Python and R
- HI 2650 Practical Research and Evaluation Methods
- HI 2230 Financial Management and Health Care Reimbursement
- HI 2011 Clinical Sciences for Health Informatics
Please note: All students are required to finish one course in medical terminology if they do not have that course or clinical background. Pitt offers a Coursera course in Medical Terminology that can meet this program requirement. However, the student can choose another medical terminology course as well.