Interdisciplinary Program in Health Informatics
Dentistry, Health Sciences Library, Information & Library Science, Medicine,
Nursing, Pharmacy, & Public Health,
Definition: Health informatics is a multidisciplinary field that seeks to enhance health care
research, practice, and teaching through information and computer technology. The field is
primarily oriented towards improving patient care, emergency preparedness, and public
health programs through the application of information and computer sciences to health
problems. As a recent Institute of Medicine (IOM) (2003) report concluded, “public health
informatics has immense potential not only to improve current public health practice but to
transform present-day capacity” (p. 63). Developing the area of health informatics should,
thus, be a high priority for UNC-Chapel Hill.
Purpose of this Proposal: The purpose of this request for $9,000 from the Health Affairs
Interdisciplinary Education Committee is to support a planning study that will establish a
baseline of existing health informatics activities at UNC, the study will include several
elements: identify other individuals/units interested in becoming a part of the health
informatics initiative; inventory offerings at peer institutions’ health informatics programs
across the country, and identify gaps based on what is learned in the inventory process
between UNC offerings and national offerings. The funds will be used to hire a consultant to
conduct these initial explorations, develop a proposal for further feasibility assessment for an
interdisciplinary approach to the study of health informatics including a market study and
business plan during the 2004-2005 Academic Year.
Long Term Program Objective: The ultimate goal of this proposal is to develop a
coordinated educational program (which might include modules, courses, certificates and/or a
degree) that allows health professionals, students, and librarians located across North
Carolina and beyond an opportunity to incorporate health informatics coursework into their
career growth programs. We also expect that this program will become a rallying point for
interdisciplinary research related to health informatics that will be tied to service impacts. It
also should be a catalyst for interdisciplinary research in other health areas for which health
informatics is becoming an integral component (e.g., molecular biology, health
communication, medical decision making). In addition, we believe that this effort will directly
contribute to objectives A (strong academic experience), B (integrate interdisciplinary
research, education, and public service), and E (public engagement) of the University’s
Academic Plan.
Program background: The rapid pace of advancement in technology and the increased
availability of information are revolutionizing health care systems worldwide. Innovations in
technology have created portable electronic devices, network database applications, and
computer software programs, which are becoming increasingly integrated into health care
delivery and available to the public, persons at risk for various diseases, patients, and health
care providers. The potential to improve health outcomes while lowering costs has created a
growing international demand for technologies that enhance patient and provider decisionmaking, improve patient care, advance disease surveillance, automate routine tasks, protect
patient safety, increase communication, and facilitate disease self-management. As
computer systems become more portable, networked, and easier to use for consumers and
health professionals, health care settings will be changing to accommodate these innovations.
Our faculty will conduct more research in this area; the University will have new opportunities
to reach the public in value-added ways, and applicants and students will desire training in
health informatics.
The importance of informatics in the training of health professionals has been recognized in
several important IOM publications, including the report cited earlier. A recent report on
health professional education identified health informatics as one of eight areas of critical
importance for the training of health care practitioners. (See Gebbie K et al. 2003. Health
Professions Education: A Bridge to Quality, National Academia Press).The report notes that:
“Some level of informatics training for both new and existing … health workers is essential.…a
basic understanding of public health informatics is critical for effective practice in the
information age (p. 64).”
Interested Parties: A critical mass of faculty from all of the Health Affairs Schools, the
Health Sciences Library, the School of Information and Library Science, and the Friday Center
has formed a steering committee to explore the development of a new interdisciplinary
program in health informatics. The commitment to this venture is evidenced by the
development of a new online interdisciplinary Health Informatics Course, which is currently
being offered under the auspices of the Schools of Pharmacy and Public Health with Scott
Smith and Tina Brock as lead instructors. In addition, Joanne Marshall is leading this current
effort to investigate the feasibility of an interdisciplinary program in health informatics.
Joanne’s background as Dean of the School of Information and Library Science, scholar in
health science information, and President Elect of the Medical Library Association particularly
positions her to lead this effort. Table 1 below presents the names and affiliations of UNC
faculty who comprise this steering committee.
Table 1. Health informatics program faculty and librarians
Dentistry
Friday
SILS
HSL
Nursing Pharmacy
Center
Sharon
Linda Carl Claudia
Julia
DeeDee
Tina Brock
Greyden
Gollop
ShawBoyington
Kokot
Stephen
Barbara
Barrie
Scott
Bayne
Wildemuth
Hayes
Smith
Joanne
Carol
Marshall
Jenkins
Catherine
Linda
Blake
Collins
Paul Solomon
Public
Health
Kurt Ribisl
Medicine
Eve
Juliano
Dave
Potenziani
Todd Nicolet
Barbara
Rimer
Sandra
Greene
(Adjunct;
Sheps Ctr.)
History and Rationale: Through the support of an NIH National Library of Medicine grant
(1997), the Health Sciences Library and School of Information and Library Science (SILS)
conducted a marketing study (including an expert advisory group of ten members, interviews
with seven expert professionals, and a Delphi study of 26 employers and 25 mid-career
information professionals). The results showed enthusiastic interest in and need for a health
informatics certificate program based at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The
study also identified applicable content for a health informatics specialization that would draw
upon courses in SILS and other Schools and Departments.
Likewise, a subcommittee comprised of faculty from the UNC Schools of Medicine and Public
Health identified eleven high priority teaching areas including informatics, which are critical
for ensuring that instruction at UNC is progressive and continues to meet the expanding
needs of the populations that we serve. Also, the School of Nursing is currently involved in
identifying core informatics competencies related to all levels of the curriculum from BSN to
PhD.
These UNC efforts complement those described in the Institute of Medicine Report and
emphasize that improving informatics instruction is both a national and regional priority. In
addition to addressing informatics as a content area, the Committee on Educating Public
Health Professionals for the 21st Century (see reference above) further suggests that a
holistic approach is necessary for implementing such an innovative curriculum, emphasizing
the power and efficiency of interdisciplinary and collaborative training.
Indeed, despite the increasing use of technology by the UNC Health Care System for both
patient care and research and the sustained interest in informatics at UNC, over the past five
years faculty attrition and challenges to collaborative communication have hampered the
progression of this innovative agenda and isolated efforts to provide this important
instruction. In response to this, the interested parties listed above (among others) have
collaborated to undertake preliminary planning for health informatics certificate. The group
has completed an assessment of the currently available informatics coursework at UNC and
has been exploring the merits of certificate prototypes for feasibility.
Budget: $9,000 to pay a consultant to develop a baseline of information on current courses
and interested faculty at UNC, a national overview of health informatics programs as well as
to develop a plan for further feasibility assessment and development of a marketing/business
plan for an interdisciplinary program in health informatics. The Deans of Dentistry, Nursing,
and Pharmacy have all agreed to include a sentence of support in their 2004-2005 budget
submissions to the Provost for follow up to the work supported by this proposal.
Current informatics courses offered at UNC*:
 NURS 117: Health care informatics (online, fall)
 HPAA 155: Public health informatics (online, fall)
 HBHE 295: The Internet and public health (residential, fall)
 HPAA 256/EPID 140/PPES 254: NEW-Informatics: Use of large health care databases
(residential, fall)
 MEDI 134: Preclinical informatics
 PHCY 616/PUBH 616: NEW–Health informatics (online, spring)
*Note: The numerous courses in the various Health Science Schools and SILS, which include
some informatics content, are not included in this list.
Example Programs:
1) Three Core Courses Plus Elective
Computer
Technology Core:
Nuts and Bolts
HPAA 155
INLS 225
INLS 110
HBHE 295
HPAA 256
Public
Health
2) Public Health or Clinical Specialist
Theoretic
Concepts:
Informatics and
Information
Systems
Applications:
Software &
Hardware
e.g., PDA , HTML
Computer
Technology Core:
Nuts and Bolts
NUR 117
PHCY 120
HPAA 155
OR
Clinicians
Public
Health
HBHE 295
HPAA 256
Theoretic
Concepts:
Informatics and
Information
Systems
Applications:
Software &
Hardware
e.g., PDA , HTML
PHCY 120
Dentistry
Nursing
Pharmacy
SILS/HSL
NUR 117
PHCY 101
INLS 225
INLS 110