Online masters degree program receives first-ever CAHIM accreditation

Online masters degree program receives first-ever CAHIM accreditation

Healthcare professionals who work in informatics assemble patient information, including their medical history, symptoms, examination results, diagnostic tests, treatment methods and all other medical services, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment of these individuals is expected to grow by 20 percent over the next eight years, which is nearly double the national average for all other occupations.

Professionals in this industry who wish to advance in their current positions may benefit from an accredited online degree program, such as the one offered by the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). The school recently announced that the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) has accredited its online masters degree program in health informatics. This is the first masters-level degree program to receive CAHIM accreditation. In order to receive this status, programs must meet very high educational standards set by CAHIM.

The program offers a combination of academics, practical education and technology leadership skills to ensure that students can utilize information technologies in order to deliver the best patient care.

"Our accreditation status reflects both the overall quality of our online masters program, and our ability to deliver valuable advanced education in an online format," said Dr. Larry Pawola, department head at UIC.

Students enrolled in the university's online masters program can graduate after earning as few as 45 credits, which consists of 14 courses.

By Mark Danson