Offering Colleges (1)
The usage of Information and Communication Technologies has considerably fueled recent worldwide breakthroughs (ICTs). ICTs have the ability to alter practically every aspect of health care systems. ICTs are the driving forces underlying Health Information Systems (HISs). HISs are the primary sources of health data that can be evaluated to provide evidence. Health planners and decision-makers require a variety of information, including health determinants, inputs to the health system and related processes, health system performance or outputs, health outcomes, health disparities, and so on. HISs can ensure the collection, analysis, dissemination, and use of health data. In order to improve the quality of health care, the evidence produced by HISs can be used in health decision-making, the introduction of rapid health intervention programs, health planning, or policy formulation. The end result is improved health for individuals, groups of people, and the entire country.
One of the primary areas that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) want to address by 2030 is health. Goal 3 of the SDGs states that the goal is "to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being at all ages." One of the prerequisites for progress is good health. Access to the greatest standard of healthcare is a basic human right for all people. HISs can play a critical role in ensuring the diffusion of quality health services, which could be critical in reaching development goals.
Kathmandu University is introducing a Master's degree program in Health Informatics for the first time in Nepal in recognition of the significance of HISs. The goal of health informatics, an interdisciplinary approach to health science and ICT, is to provide methods and procedures for gathering, processing, and analyzing health data derived from various sources. This program is thought to play a key role in enhancing HIS users' abilities to use various HISs, carry out HIS development tasks, engage in health research and innovation, and finally make HISs long-term sustainable.
Salient Features
- The program is intended to develop an interdisciplinary approach to health informatics by building synergies between the area of Health Science and Information and Communication Technologies.
- Integrate knowledge, principles, practices, and activities of Information System development and management with the knowledge, principles, and activities of health science.
- To foster an understanding of theoretical and empirical bases of Health Informatics as a discipline.
- Prepare equipped professionals who can develop, manage and lead Health Information Systems and become able to provide leadership and adapt to change in the areas of health science.
- Develop knowledge of the application of ICT in health science such as telemedicine services, mobile application development, health data warehouse, etc
Prospective Students
The Master's degree program in Health Informatics is an interdisciplinary approach to Health Science, Data Science, and Information and Communication Technologies. Students from diverse areas/disciplines with a keen interest in the design, development, and analysis of health information systems can fit into this program.
The prospective students include medical and paramedical professionals including Medical Doctors, Public Health Workers, Nurses, Medical lab Technicians, Pharmacists, IT Professionals, Mathematicians, Statisticians, and enthusiasts from the basic science disciplines who are interested in health data analytics and innovation in the health sector.
Research lab
The master's degree program in Health Informatics will be equipped with an advanced Interoperability Lab for health information systems. The lab will include aggregate health data reporting systems, electronic medical record systems, insurance and logistics management systems, and other relevant information systems.
Eligibility
Candidates with score of at least 50% in aggregate or CGPA 2.0 out of 4.0 grading system from any recognized institution, and
- Undergraduate degree in Engineering/Science and Technology/Computer Application/ Medical Sciences/ Nursing, or
- With a total of at least 16 years of education with a science background, or
- M.Sc. in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Statistics, or any other related field are considered eligible for admission to the master's degree program in Health Informatics.
Admission Criteria
Scholarships and assistantships will be available for deserving students.
Job Prospects
Graduates of the Master's degree will have a comprehensive understanding of health information systems and digitalization in the health sector. Students will be taught the skills needed to lead interdisciplinary teams in the creation, implementation, and change processes of digital health systems. Graduates will have significant knowledge and skills required for HIS creation, data analysis, policy formulation, and health intervention program implementation. The scope of the program will spread over multiple sectors.
- Information Officers, Data Analyst, Strategy Planner, and Policy makers in the Health Ministry and other public organizations working in health sectors.
- Monitoring and Evaluation Officers at International Organizations working in the health sectors.
- Researchers in academic institutions and health organizations.
- Data analyst in the hospitals and health facilities.
- System Architect and Application Developers for Health Information Systems.
Curricular Structure
| First Semester | Mandatory Course | Mandatory Course | Mandatory Course | Elective Course | |
| Second Semester | Mandatory Course | Mandatory Course | Mandatory Course | Elective Course | Elective Course |
| Third Semester | Mandatory Course | Mandatory Course | Elective Course | Project Work | |
| Fourth Semester | Thesis Work | ||||
The total credit for this master's degree is 48. Each Mandatory courses, Elective courses, and Project work account for 3 credits while the Thesis work accounts for 9 credits.
Core Courses
| HIMS 500 | Foundations of Health Information Systems |
| HIMS 501 | The spectrum of Digital Health |
| HIMS 502 | The architecture of Digital Health |
| HIMS 503 | Health Care Data Analytics |
| HIMS 504 | Population Informatics and GIS |
| HIMS 505 | Telecare, Medical Signal, and Imaging |
| HIMS 506 | Intelligence in Health Information Systems |
| HIMS 507 | Principles of Health Data Standardization |
Elective Courses
| Group I | |
| HIMS 510 | Research Methods in Health Informatics |
| HIMS 515 | Probability and Health Data Modeling |
| HIMS 516 | Bioinformatics |
| HIMS 528 | Basic Epidemiology and Health Statistics |
| HIMS 592 | Health Informatics Seminar |
| HIMS 594 | Health Informatics Workshop |
| Group II | |
| HIMS 511 | Policies, Legal Issues, and Ethics in Health Information System Implementation |
| HIMS 522 | Organization and Management in Health Informatics |
| HIMS 525 | Health Care Financing and Economics |
| HIMS 532 | Information System |
| HIMS 527 | Supply Chain Management |
| Group III | |
| HIMS 508 | Coding, Classification, and Standardization in Medicine |
| HIMS 512 | Public Health System in Practice |
| HIMS 517 | Clinical and Laboratory Information System |
| HIMS 524 | Biomedicine for Informatics/ Personalized Medicine |
| HIMS 526 | Health Informatics Project Management |
| Group IV | |
| HIMS 509 | Health Care Network and Data Security |
| HIMS 513 | Mobile Application Development |
| HIMS 514 | Tele-health/Telemedicine |
| HIMS 518 | Basics of Programming Language |
| HIMS 519 | Clinical Databases and Registries |
| HIMS 521 | Wearable Devices and IoT |
| HIMS 523 | Software Engineering |
| HIMS 529 | Clinical Natural language Processing |
| HIMS 530 | Data Science |
| HIMS 531 | Database Management System |