Rogue Community College issued the following news release:
Rogue Community College and Oregon Institute of Technology are combining efforts to provide a degree in Information Technology/Health Informatics.
Under the agreement students will be able to obtain an Associate of Science degree at RCC that will automatically transfer toward a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology, Health Informatics Option at OIT.
'Rogue's partnership with OIT means southern Oregon residents have another career option in the high-demand field of health care,' said Dr. Peter Angstadt, RCC president. 'It's a unique opportunity for our students.'
Health informatics is the rapidly developing scientific field that utilizes computer technology in the advancement of health care. It is the study of how health data are collected, stored and communicated; how those data are processed into health information suitable for administrative and clinical decision-making; and how computer and telecommunications technology can be applied to support these processes. It combines computer technologies, information science, and business management.
'OIT's Health Informatics program will play a significant role in meeting the increasing need for talented and skilled professionals,' noted Dr. Michael Kirshner, OIT Health Informatics program. 'Students joining our program will take their associated degree to the next level, gaining the skills they need to succeed in a field marked by technological changes and high demand.'
Employment of health informatics professionals is expected to grow by over 30 percent nationally through 2016, more than twice the growth rate for all occupations and starting salaries for bachelor level graduates in this field can range from $45,000 to $75,000.
A graduate in Health Informatics will be able to plan, design, analyze, implement and support emerging technologies such as electronic medical records and administrative systems. These technologies are needed in all aspects of healthcare, from hospitals and health systems to medical offices, software developers, insurance companies, and research institutions.
RCC is accepting students into the Health Informatics program. For more information, call the RCC Computer Science Department at 956-7066 in Grants Pass, 245-7527 in Medford, or visit www.oit.edu/healthinformatics.Contact: Margaret Bradford, 541/956-7304, 541/471-3548, mbradford@roguecc.edu.
Margaret Bradford, 541/956-7304, 541/471-3548, mbradford@roguecc.edu.
