The Application Process
Step 1: Apply for Admission to Bellevue College
Step 2: Apply to the HCI Program
You can start taking HCI courses prior to admission to the HCI program. As long as you are a Bellevue College student, you can start taking HCI courses. Contact the HCI Program Manager for more information or to request a course code.
If you are interested in building your informatics expertise and want to focus on an individual course, you can enroll without applying to the HCI program. There are courses that will allow you to build your healthcare informatics skills and apply what you learn to your work. Some good courses include Clinical Informatics, Leading Change in Healthcare, Project Management in Healthcare and Minitab Fundamentals. See Quarterly Class Schedule for courses offered.
The first step to taking classes at BC is to Apply for Admission to Bellevue College. Once you receive the acceptance email from the college, you can activate your ctcLink ID (student ID) and enroll in classes.
The next step is to enroll in the course. If the course needs a permission number, contact the Program Chair, Eric Stewart for a course code.
The cost for a 5 credit course is $1184.40 ($1161.3 for five credits plus 52.50 in student fees). Link to tuition and fees. Link to review student eLearning fees: Quarterly Class Schedule Some qualifying Washington State employees can take a course for $57.50. See this link on State Employee Tuition Waiver. Registration for qualifying state employees starts 3 days prior to the course start – review the Academic Calendar for registration dates.
Washington State Seniors over age 60 can audit the course for $57.50. See this link on Senior Citizen Tuition Waiver.
About The Healthcare Informatics Program
Healthcare has become more than just examinations and treatments. The science of healthcare is driven by information and data. The amount of data is constantly increasing and becoming more complex. Informatics uses data to manage patient care, improve health, and manage the business of healthcare. Healthcare informatics uses data to solve problems in patient management, hospital operations, information technology, ancillary care, and the implementation of computerized physician order entry (CPOE) systems. This program focuses on the interoperability of healthcare information systems and electronic health records.
To be successful in the increasingly complex world of healthcare data management, you must understand the foundations of healthcare information systems and electronic health records and be able to apply data analytics and problem-solving skills to the available resources. Instead of trying to understand and learn this on your own, the Healthcare Informatics program is designed to introduce you to the concepts and skills to be successful in using data and information in healthcare. The velocity of technology is increasing, and you will be learning from those that have the expertise, and relevant skills, and know the challenges of what it takes to succeed.
Understanding and using data to make healthcare business decisions and using metrics to provide sustainability will create successful healthcare organizations.
• Understanding and translating customer needs with user-centered design thinking create services and products that provide increased satisfaction.
• Developing approaches to create motivation based on tangible rewards and consequences and using behavior-based feedback improves effective healthcare implementations.
HCI Program Goals: To build and apply relevant and current skills that are utilized in healthcare informatics and to understand current healthcare operations using informatics that supports patient care and information technology.
The study of informatics is broad and includes more subjects than can fit into a two-year’s Bachelor’s program. For example, medical informatics is the study of medical data to improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients. This program doesn’t cover informatics in medicine, mental health, dental, pharmacy, or any of the specialty informatics areas. This is also not a research-based program, which includes genomics, translational informatics, or machine learning. These are advanced topics that are well suited for a Master’s level degree, which you would be ready to transition to at the end of this program. The topics of this program cover the operational, information technology, and usability aspects of informatics and include clinical informatics, nursing informatics, population and public health, telemedicine, and virtual health.
- Asynchronous learning – all coursework is managed through the Canvas learning system. Pre-recorded lectures, readings, and assignments are delivered in the virtual course. Work is completed by deadlines set by the instructor and the course instructor is available to answer questions on the content.
- Discussion boards allow other students in the program to share their experience and their method of approaching and resolving issues.
- This program emphasizes current healthcare business norms and trends. The content focuses on building skills that are used by informatics professionals working for healthcare organizations.
• This program focuses on understanding healthcare data systems with an emphasis on process and data, user-center design thinking, statistics, and predictive analytics.
• The topics include understanding healthcare data, workflow quality, change management, system operations, and user-centered design principles. This program also covers project management, Agile, Six Sigma, and healthcare training approaches.
• Understanding and using data to make healthcare business decisions and using metrics to provide sustainability will create successful healthcare organizations.
• Understanding and translating customer needs with user-centered design thinking create services and products that provide increased satisfaction.
• Developing approaches to create motivation based on tangible rewards and consequences and using behavior-based feedback improves effective healthcare implementations.
The HCI at Bellevue College is designed to build skills and knowledge to be applied to a career in healthcare informatics. The program differs from other college programs where the goal of the degree or certificate is to obtain employment. There are very few programs in the US that have a Bachelor’s degree in informatics and the field is growing where the number of entry-level informatics is rapidly growing without a source of training to produce qualified candidates.
In addition to learning about healthcare informatics in this program, the primary focus is on skill building. Why is skill building so important? Employers are seeking candidates with skills that they can apply, skills that can benefit potential employers. A section of this program is identifying and documenting skills that you build in this program to be able to market yourself to healthcare organizations when you finish the program. In week 8 of this course, we will start planning the path to your future career.
• Develop a set of transferable skills that can be used in healthcare right now.
• Gain experience using applicable skills.
• Create a strategy to define your strengths and network connections for employment in informatics.
• Developing skills to work with peers virtually is rapidly becoming a vital competency.
• Learning to market your skills and networking with healthcare leaders improves the ability to obtain employment in the informatics field.
• Analyze healthcare data for trends and performance.
• Display data and results in a meaningful way.
• Design workflows and use innovation to make significant improvements.
• Contribute and enable vital IT functions such as disaster recovery and cybersecurity.
• Create reports that enable effective evidence-based decisions.
• Provide data management and data compliance and interoperability.
• Track quality metrics and leverage information technology to monitor and enforce patient safety.
• Manage and optimize operations such as staffing and supplies.
• Implement processes that allow seamless patient care.
• Establish training programs that satisfy user needs and reduce overly complex procedures.
• Use technology to report outcomes of daily activities and manage healthcare documentation.
What are the skills that are taught in the program?
A list of skills was compiled from a set of 15 local experts working in healthcare informatics on what organizations were looking for in job applicants. The list was used to identify where students would build these skills for future career success.
• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving -HCI 293, HCI 302, HCI 310, HCI 315, HCI 350,HCl450,HCl456,HCl470
• Data Analysis -HCI 293, HCI 320, HCI 450, HCI 456, HCI 470
• Report Writing -HCI 320, HCI 450, HCI 456
• Workflow Analysis -HCI 410
• Training and Instructional Design -HCI 330
• Data Visualization -HCI 450, HCI 456, HCI 470
• Project Management -HCML 375, HCI 330, HCI 350
• Innovation -HCI 350
• Process Improvement -HCI 470
• Presentation Skills -HCI 465, HCI 485
• Cybersecurity -HCI 435
• Disaster Recovery – HCI 435
• Understanding Terminology and Code Sets – HCI 380
• Root Cause Analysis – HCI 470, HCI 465, HCI 485
• Communication – HCI 460
• Emotional Intelligence – HCI 293, HCI 460
• Change Management – HCI 460
• Team Building and Facilitation – HCI 310, HCI 460
Synchronous learning classes are run in real-time and can include in-person and virtual web conference software like Zoom or Skype. Asynchronous classes have all the course material accessible online and students can access it at different times and at different locations. Online synchronous courses are typically like a traditional classroom with scheduled class time and live discussion. Asynchronous courses allow students to listen to and study the course materials on their own schedule and communicate with other students on their own time.
Asynchronous learning allows more flexibility in the time they choose to learn and the pace to absorb the course content. The course instructor will set up a prescribed order for the materials, but students can choose how much time they spend on the materials. The course materials are designed to cover specific topics and present reading, articles, videos, recorded lectures, and self-guided activities to teach the skills and concepts for the topic. Skills and knowledge are applied and accessed through assignments, quizzes, and discussion boards.
Read More….
Healthcare Informatics develops solutions for healthcare using data and technology.
This program focuses on understanding healthcare data systems with an emphasis on process and data, user-center design thinking, statistics, and predictive analytics. The topics include understanding healthcare data, workflow quality, change management, system operations, and user-centered design principles. This program also covers project management, Agile, Six Sigma, and healthcare training approaches.
The HCI program at Bellevue College includes Clinical Informatics, Nursing Informatics, Population and Public Health, Telemedicine, and Virtual Health. It does not include Specialty Informatics: Dental, Mental Health, Pharmacy, Primary Care, Research, Consumer Informatics, Machine Learning, Biomedical Computing Technology, Translation Informatics, or Genomics.
Data scientists focus primarily on the available data and use coding and programming to analyze, process, and model data to identify trends. In The Healthcare Informatics programs, there is less emphasis on “data wrangling” and a greater focus on supporting technology, operations, and patient care and safety.
Yes, there are many approaches and disciplines within healthcare informatics. This program focuses on building skills for data management and analytics to support administrative and operational systems within healthcare organizations like hospitals, clinics, and ambulatory patient care facilities. This program includes an emphasis on the design, implementation, maintenance, and training of electronic health records.
Most of the tasks and skills in informatics focus on the data that is available to patients, healthcare staff, and administration. This includes building reports or making presentations to a variety of stakeholders and may not involve direct patient care.
Coding and programming can be useful skills in analyzing and managing data, but they are not required within the skills that are included in the program outcomes.
- Problem-Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Data Analysis
- Reporting Writing
- Workflow Analysis
- Training and Instructional Design
- Data Visualization
- Project Management
- Innovation
- Process Improvement
- Presentation Skills
- Cybersecurity
- Disaster Recovery
- Understanding Terminology and Code Sets
- Root Cause Analysis
- Communication
- Emotional Intelligence
- Change Management
- Facilitation
The BAS program can be completed in two years and the certificate can be completed in one year. Some students choose to take fewer courses and extend the time it takes to complete the program, typically due to work schedules. Our Program Manager will work on a personalized schedule that will fit your needs.
All the courses consist of self-paced activities that are arranged in weekly modules. Reviewing videos and recorded lectures, completing assigned reading and assignments to verify comprehension and practice skills are primarily managed by the student. The courses are organized and distributed with the Canvas Learning Management System.
Many students in the program are working professionals. The course topics can be related to most industries and many of the skills that are taught in the program can be used immediately at work.
All of the required courses are offered as online, asynchronous learning. Optional drop-in virtual sessions may be held by the instructor. Some of the Special Topic courses have been set up as real-time courses but the core courses are all self-managed.
The core classes for the BAS and the certificate are the same. The BAS is designed to teach informatics skills to students entering the healthcare workforce with a bachelors’ degree. The BAS includes a course that introduces students to the world of healthcare and the program includes an experiential course that allows the student to gain practical experience and apply what they learned in a real-time work environment. The certificate is designed to give healthcare and IT professionals the basic informatics skills to apply to their experience. This focused concentration of applicable knowledge and skills allows professionals to use what they learned right away.
Informatics is a growing field and includes many types of job categories. Most of the entry-level informatics positions include data analysis and report writing, providing end-user support and training, especially in the application of the electronic health records, and functioning in user experience (UX) or process improvement roles.
The BAS includes a mandatory experiential course that includes field study or Capstone project. The field study or internship includes 108 hours of onsite participation with a healthcare organization. The Capstone is a project that requires sponsorship and data collection from a healthcare organization. The certificate program includes experiential learning courses as an elective.
Yes, students who have not been admitted to the program can register for up to 10 credits of 300- level coursework on a space-available basis. Students who are applying to the program can start taking classes right away. Healthcare professionals who want to take an individual course can take HCI courses without application to the HCI program. Follow the steps to Apply for Admission to Bellevue College. Once you receive the acceptance email from the college, you can activate your ctcLink ID (student ID) and enroll in classes. Then enroll in an HCI course. If the course needs a permission number, contact the Program Chair, Eric Stewart for a course code.
Out-of-State students can take advantage of the non-resident tuition offered to students participating in online degrees and certificates offered at Bellevue College. Under policy 2400 Tuition and Fee Waivers, the college has approved waiving the non-resident tuition differential for students only taking online classes.
For certain courses, you may be able to earn non-traditional credit for prior learning or work experiences. Credit could be awarded through successful completion of a challenge exam, evaluation of certification/training or by approval of a submitted portfolio or other items that prove you have met course learning outcomes. Please refer to additional information on BC’s policies and procedures regarding non-traditional credit . You can also contact the HCI program manager to discuss available options.
No. New students are encouraged to take the onboarding and overview courses in the beginning and the experiential courses near the end of the program but the sequence of courses is flexible. Some courses require Excel proficiency or BATECH 165, most courses are ready for college level learners.
Yes! Bellevue College is accredited as a baccalaureate degree-granting institution by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), a regional institutional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education. NWCCU accreditation was most recently reaffirmed in 2019.
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Employment Outlook
Healthcare Informatics is a relatively new job classification. Besides the improvement of technology in healthcare, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act provided an incentive to motivate the implementation and use of electronic health records in 2009. In 2014, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) requested that the Standard Occupational Classification have a separate category for healthcare informatics. The Standard Occupational Code (SOC) is Health Informatics Specialist, 15-1211.01, and includes job titles like:
Clinical Informatics Analyst, Clinical Informatics Nurse, Clinical Informatics Specialist, and Clinical Informatics Systems Analyst.
The primary difference between healthcare information technology and informatics is that Health Informatics workers apply science to ensure the effective use of data, information, and knowledge that supports the safe and effective delivery of healthcare and improves health and wellness. The skills include analytic skills, communication and presentation skills, organizing and planning skills, active listening, and decision-making.
According to the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) developed under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration, a Health Informatics Specialist is given the status of “Bright Outlook”. Bright Outlook occupations are expected to grow rapidly in the next several years, will have large numbers of job openings, or are new and emerging occupations. The occupation of Health Informatics Specialist is expected to grow rapidly. They compare to the Data Scientist occupation, which is expected to grow 36% over the next 10 years. The current job market for Health Informatics Specialists is favorable, especially in the Seattle area. This is a graph of current salaries for Health Informatics Specialists from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Level of education – Most of the academic informatics programs are graduate level, the current job market is favorable toward a bachelor’s degree.
This graph from HIMSS shows the type of degree and average education in the informatics industry. Nearly half of the people who are employed in informatics have a bachelor’s degree. It’s important to note that the discipline of the degree is not defined, the study was not restricted to degrees in informatics but includes any subject.
This graph was displayed at the HIMSS 2022 conference in a presentation on Finding Success Through Connection, by David Marc and Eric Nordgren from St. Scholastica College. This was data taken from job postings for health informatics roles. 120 of the 272 job postings that were reviewed required a bachelor’s degree.
Last Updated January 6, 2023
