284503
Bridging the health it workforce gap: Development and outcomes of gw's interdisciplinary health It graduate certificate program
Sarah Preston, MPH,
Health Services Management and Leadership, The George Washington University, DC, WA
Robert Burke, PhD,
Department of Health Services Management and Leadership, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
Andrew Wiss, EdM,
School of Public Health and Health Services, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
The George Washington University (GW) received an ARRA grant from the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) to develop a new online interdisciplinary Health Information Technology (HIT) graduate certificate program. The objective of the grant is to increase the number of university-prepared persons to serve in HIT roles in healthcare organizations. GW's HIT program has provided graduate level training to over 300 students seeking employment in the HIT field. Four schools within GW--Public Health, Nursing, Business and Engineering Schools--collaborated to implement five of the ONC HIT roles: Public Health & Clinician Leaders, Programmers & Software Engineers, Security & Privacy Specialists, and Information Management and Exchange. Each role addresses student's knowledge and experiential gaps in the healthcare management and IT fields, and aims to diversify the student's skills and knowledge in both areas. GW's HIT program focuses, in particular, on preparing students for management and leadership roles in the HIT field. GW's HIT program is addressing the growing need for HIT professionals in the advancing healthcare environment. The program is helping alumni find jobs in HIT, and enabling them to take on enhanced HIT roles in their employment. GW's survey data shows that approximately 90% of GW HIT alumni were employed at completion of the program. Career counseling, curriculum design, and networking opportunities are major contributors to the student's successes. GW is currently making plans to sustain the HIT courses to continue bridging the HIT workforce gap.
Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Administration, management, leadership
Other professions or practice related to public health
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education
Learning Objectives:
Describe The George Washington University (GW) Health Information Technology (HIT) curriculum and how its design addresses the HIT knowledge gap. Demonstrate that an interdisciplinary graduate level course of study can support the professional development of both IT and Healthcare professionals becoming leaders in the HIT workforce. Explain the outcomes of the GW HIT training program as they relate to students professional development and employment in the HIT field.
Keyword(s): Information Technology, Health Education
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Principal Investigator of the Health Information Technology federally funded grant. In addition, I am the Chair of the Health Services Management and Leadership Department, and a Gordon A Friesen Professor of Health Administration.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines,
and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed
in my presentation.
