Bachelor of Applied Health Information Science (Honours)

About the Program

Do you want a great job when you graduate? Launch your health-care career today by applying to the Bachelor of Applied Health Information Science. Our graduates help fill a skill shortage and are in demand for jobs as data analysts, business intelligence specialists, privacy professionals, and clinical informatics specialists.

The Bachelor of Applied Health Information Science (Honours) degree is an innovative four-year co-op program that will prepare graduates for a number of in-demand careers in the health-care industry. Our graduates enable the health-care system to achieve its goals of person-centred, safe, high quality and sustainable health care through data-informed problem solving. Our graduates will use applied and integrated knowledge and skills from health information science, biomedical and health sciences, information technology and management sciences to positively impact the health-care system.

Focusing on health informatics and health information management, students in the BAHIS degree will experience a variety of real-life learning opportunities that will enrich the learning experience. Students will be challenged to use creativity and problem-solving skills to design, implement and evaluate a broad range of projects with community partners. Students will design health informatics and information management solutions while learning to maintain security, privacy and confidentiality. The BAHIS degree will offer students opportunities to develop critical thinking and communication skills that will enable them to work successfully on inter-professional teams.

Upon graduation from the program, students will qualify to challenge the national certification examination of the Canadian Health Information Management Association (CHIMA). Our graduates will be eligible for careers in health informatics utilizing their skills in information technology (IT), healthcare and management.

Program Outcomes

• Manage patient care and administrative information systems that include data archiving, retrieval, programming, report generation, and interfacing such systems with the hospitals, community health agencies and offices of health professionals.

• Ensure the ongoing efficient operation and evolution of core computer functions and networks in a variety of health care settings.

• Apply problem-solving skills to priorities for health informatics in order to ensure high quality and safety of patient care.

• Analyze, diagnose, and resolve technical issues associated with information systems in health care organizations.

• Integrate the knowledge of the health care delivery system into functionality of health information systems.

• Understand the following health science concepts and their importance for developing health care information systems: health and medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, pathology, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases.

• Apply the concepts of organizational culture, human relations, and leadership to the development and enhancement of multidisciplinary teams.

• Communicate effectively with members of a health care team.

• Apply the principles and skills of business administration and leadership.

• Apply psychosocial, economic and environmental concepts and values.

• Adhere to professional, ethical and legal codes and standards.

• Educate health care professionals in a use of health care information systems, including wireless methods to support patient care.

• Conduct research with health professionals using theory and practice of health informatics to contribute to evidence based practice.

• Develop plans for lifelong learning and professional development.

• Practice health informatics knowledge and skills through co-op work terms in health care agencies.

Co-op Information

• Co-op programs add value to your education. Earn while you apply what you learn in a real workplace environment.

• The College cannot guarantee co-op employment. All co-op students are required to conduct an independent co-op job search in addition to the supports and services provided by the Department of Co-op Education.

• Students are responsible for their own transportation and associated costs in order to complete work term requirements. Work locations may not always be readily accessible by public transportation.

• Students who do not secure the first work term by the start of the work term semester will be offered the option to enrol in the 14 credit Career Management in Canada co-op alternative. This co-op alternative involves one 3 hour on campus session per week and 12 hours per week of online and out-of-class activity.

• If Career Management in Canada is selected, the student must attend sessions from the first session of the term and cannot complete a co-op term for their first work term.

• Career Management in Canada may be delivered at the Doon, Waterloo, or Cambridge campus.

• Career Management in Canada is only an alternative for the first co-op work term of the program, students will still complete at least one mandatory co-op work term if they choose Career Management in Canada.

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