There are several well-regarded health informatics programs in Louisiana. Students who earn a degree in health informatics may seek work in a variety of settings like:
- mental health facilities
- surgery centers
- hospices
- physician’s offices
- hospitals
Additionally, students may work with:
- educational institutions
- government agencies
- insurance companies
- as consultants in health informatics
Within the state of Louisiana, several different types of colleges exist that will help students earn an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree in health informatics. With the growing need for healthcare professionals who have deep technical knowledge, a degree in health information management will help students find a valuable career with strong growth potential.
Delgado Community College
Allied Health
A public community college with several campuses around New Orleans, Delgado Community College has around 19,000 students. The school is one of nine community colleges in the state’s official system. It has operated since 1921 when it opened as the Delgado Trades School. It would operate under its original name until 1980, when the Louisiana government decided to change the name to Delgado Community College. The college was named for its founder, philanthropist Isaac Delgado. He was from Jamaica and became a wealthy businessman in New Orleans after immigrating from his home country to the United States.
Health Information Technology (HIT) Program
In Delgado’s Health Information Technology (HIT) program, students learn to use a variety of documents and records utilized in modern healthcare. They’ll also learn the computer skills necessary to work in the industry as a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT). After graduation, students may work in a variety of healthcare facilities like:
- physician’s offices
- hospitals
- rehabilitation facilities
Additionally, students may find work with:
- insurance companies
- health information exchanges
- any type of business that works with patient information
Students trained in health informatics work with many types of records connected to patient care and histories including:
- business
- medical
- legal
Delgado’s program helps students learn skills like critical thinking and analysis which help students work with complex health documents. Classes feature several instructional methods like:
- simulated laboratory time
- helpful videos
- recorded lectures
- hands-on experience
The program has a limited number of openings available each year for its August start date.
Accreditations
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
Contact
Delgado Community College, City Park
615 City Park Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70119
Phone: (504) 671-5000
Email: hgaspa@dcc.edu
Program Website
Louisiana Tech University
College of Applied & Natural Sciences
Louisiana Tech is public research university located in Ruston. It has offered classes since 1894 and today has more than 11,000 students. The university is the only institution of higher learning in Louisiana to be granted status as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education and Research.
The university’s science and engineering programs have gained national status as high-quality programs. The university was originally called The Industrial Institute and College of Louisiana. It was meant to train students to work in industry in the state of Louisiana. Later, the school would expand to include various technical degrees.
Bachelor Health Informatics & Information Management (HIIM)
Health Informatics and Information Management at Louisiana Tech is a program tasked with instructing students on the best methods for evaluating health data to enhance patient outcomes in modern healthcare. A bachelor’s degree helps students understand how to manage patient data through the dissemination and communication of essential information related to patient care. The program requires 12 quarters of on-campus study, as well as one quarter of hands-on practice at a professional site.
Students may also take their campus classes through an online portal. The Louisiana State Board of Regents has bestowed its Commendation of Excellence on the program. It is a CAHIIM accredited program. The university also designed its program around the requirements of the Council on Accreditation of the American Health Information Management Association. Students who graduate from the program will be eligible to take the test to become Registered Health Information Administrators.
Master of Health Informatics Program (MHI)
Students in the graduate program in Health Informatics get essential lessons on advanced technology and systems used in today’s healthcare environments. The program is for students of almost any educational background. However, students who don’t have a bachelor’s degree and previously completed coursework in health information management may need to take additional courses to satisfy the knowledge requirements of the degree.
The program allows students who are currently working to complete the program through online study. Students take classes in each of the four quarters during the year. They will utilize a variety of types of communication and learning to complete the required coursework. Students work with:
- online lectures
- electronic bulletin boards
- digital drop boxes.
Students also participate in experiential learning opportunities. The school describes admission to the graduate program as competitive. The school recommends that students exceed the minimum requirements for acceptance.
Accreditations
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
Contact
Louisiana Tech University
P.O. Box 3171
Ruston, LA 71272
Phone: (318) 257-2854
Email: bulldog@latech.edu
Program Website
Southern University at New Orleans
College of Arts & Sciences
Southern University at New Orleans is a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. It’s a historically African American university with around 3,200 students. The college was initially founded as a branch of Southern University and Agricultural & Mechanical College, a school in Baton Rouge. The school was established in 1956 and started offering classes in 1959 at a campus in Pontchartrain Park. The school had just under 160 freshman for its first class of learners and offered classes in four academic areas. Four years later, 15 graduates received the first bachelor’s degrees granted by the fledgling school.
Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management Systems
The curriculum of the Health Information Management Systems program stems from the school’s dedication to ensuring today’s health information and records are handled by learned healthcare administrators and medical staff. The school lists several benefits for attending classes at SUNO, which include:
- access to a highly qualified faculty
- several opportunities to engage in hands-on learning
- a great location for living while enrolled in college
Career opportunities for graduates of the program include:
- Chief Security Officer
- Data Quality manager
- HIM College Professor
Opportunities for financial aid also exist.
Accreditations
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
Contact
Southern University at New Orleans
6400 Press Drive
New Orleans, LA 70126
Phone: (504) 286-5000
Email: cstanton@suno.edu
Program Website
Southern University at Shreveport
Allied Health Sciences
Located in Shreveport, SUS has been in operation since 1967. It’s part of the Southern University system of schools in Louisiana. The school opened the same year as Louisiana State University, which would eventually go on to become a four-year campus. Southern University at Shreveport remained a two-year institution. The school is a part of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and started offering accredited associate’s degrees in 1974 in areas like:
- natural sciences
- social sciences
- the humanities
The school has around 3,000 students. It’s a popular educational destination for local students in the Shreveport area and surrounding communities.
Associate of Applied Science in Health Information Technology
The HIT program at SUSLA helps prepare students to obtain jobs as health information technicians in a variety of healthcare companies and organizations. The program requires that students master a variety of technical competencies and critical thinking skills from different instructional methodologies. The curriculum features instruction in technical areas like coding so that students will be able to work in areas of modern healthcare such as:
- reimbursement
- research
- analysis
- legal areas
Students take classes in classrooms, as well as online, and also get to experience a hands-on session in a clinical setting. The associate’s degree is awarded to students after completion of all academic requirements and the clinical experience. Students must maintain an overall GPA of at least 2.0 or higher in all health information technology-related courses. Since the program is accredited by CAHIIM students will qualify to become Registered Health Information Technicians (RHIT) through the American Health Information Management Association.
Accreditations
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
Contact
Southern University at Shreveport
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
Shreveport, LA 71107
Phone: (318) 670-6000
Email: admissions@susla.edu
Program Website
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Department of Allied Health
Established in 1898, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is the largest campus in the University of Louisiana system. It has almost 19,000 students. It’s also the second largest university, by enrollment, in the state of Louisiana. The school was originally established as an industrial school and was developed into a four-year college over the course of the 20th century. The school’s original name was Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute. Today, the school is known for its strong programs in:
- computer science
- architecture
- engineering
Interestingly, the school was one of the first in the Deep South to desegregate after the Brown v. Board of Education decision was handed down from the U.S. Supreme Court.
Health Information Management
The university describes its HIM degree as a valuable option for students who wish to enter a job that requires knowledge of healthcare delivery and the technology that makes modern care possible. The university suggests that workers trained in health informatics will become even more valuable employees in the future. The entire healthcare industry transitioning to an electronic records format.
Some of the classes students will take in the program include:
- Human Communications
- Medical Terminology
- Elementary Statistics
- Biometry
Students take anywhere from 12 to 18 credits a semester and end their senior year with a four-credit internship. Students must earn a grade of “C” or above in all courses to obtain a degree. The student’s cumulative grade point average must be at least a 2.5 or above. Students will be able to become Registered Health Information Technicians due to the program’s accreditation through CAHIIM.
Accreditations
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
Contact
Department of Allied Health
V.L. Wharton Hall Rm. 207-B
411 East Saint Mary Blvd.
Lafayette, LA 70503
Phone: (337_ 482-5901
Email: alliedhealth@louisiana.edu
Program Website
With the close relationship today of healthcare and technology, earning a degree in health informatics is a strong option for any student who wants to enter a growth industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that openings in health informatics will grow significantly over the next decade. Tens of thousands of new jobs will be added in this area in the coming years. The amount of data that comes from today’s healthcare services is immense. Students who enter health informatics programs in Louisiana will graduate with the knowledge required to handle the complexities of digital records in healthcare.