American Sentinel University Launches Degree Program Addressing Growth in Healthcare IT.

University Expands Degree Options with Bachelor of Science in Health Systems Management

AURORA, Colo. -- American Sentinel University announced today that it has added a Bachelor of Science degree program in Health Systems Management (HSM) to its already impressive array of healthcare degrees.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 18 of the top 20 fastest-growing occupations between 2004 and 2014 will be in healthcare and computer science. American Sentinel is responding by offering a new degree program in health systems management.

"Job opportunities in health systems management are expected to grow by 36 percent over the next 10 years," said Catherine Garner, DrPH, RN, FAAN, Dean of Health Professions at American Sentinel University. "We are responding to intense demand for education in healthcare IT by expanding our degree offering to include a Bachelor of Science in Health Systems Management."

The HSM program is designed to provide students with the skills needed to analyze information needs, design solutions, and manage information storage, transfer and retrieval in health care environments. Students will acquire a broad knowledge base in computer information systems as they are used in organizational setting and learn how to apply this knowledge to the specific needs of the healthcare information environment.

"The HSM degree offers an excellent re-training opportunity for individuals with a management or IT background to make the shift from other industries such as finance and manufacturing to health care, where there is a projected expansion of employment opportunities," said Dr. Garner.

In 2005, a national goal was set to create universal electronic medical records by 2015. The plan included a detailed strategy to increase the use of information technology (IT) in healthcare and to create national standards that would enable medical information to be digitized, stored and shared electronically. This initiative, along with many others, has created a need for qualified, trained individuals to manage complex IT systems in the hospital environment.

The B.S. Health Systems Management courses are open for enrollment twice per month. American Sentinel also offers a Master of Science degree in HSM. To learn more, visit healthcare.americansentinel.edu.