Mn Health Information Technology (HIT) Program

Normandale receives $800,000 grant to train 300 HIT professionals

Earlier in 2010, Normandale received an $800,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to develop a Health IT (HIT) Professional training program. "Normandale is viewed as a strong leader in the Health IT arena," according to Sunny Ainley, Director of Health and Wellness Programs in Normandale's Center for Applied Learning. "Many other colleges are looking to Normandale as a model to develop HIT workforce programs."

Through massive funding and new mandates, the American healthcare system is going digital at an unpredicted rate. And, as a result, Trained Professionals will find numerous opportunities in this rapid area of transformation and growth. Normandale Community College has been selected by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator to provide critical Health Information Technology (HIT) training to current and future healthcare and information technology professionals who will integrate electronic health record (EHR) information systems at hospitals, clinics, and other related facilities and agencies throughout the nation. This training is part of the larger effort of the goals and mandates outlined in HITECH, which is described in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Reduced fees for participants

Federal grant reduces cost of statewide training to $500 for qualified healthcare or IT professionals seeking new career opportunities in one of the fastest growing job markets.
The application for this program (3rd cohort) is accepted starting end of June, early July, 2011. The training  will begin October 2011.

MnHIT Training Program 

• Information and Online Application: visit www.mnhealthIT.com
• Quick highlight of MN Health IT Training Program
• More information about the national initiative, check out the article published by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) regarding the Community College Consortium to Train HIT Professionals.

MnHIT In the News...

• MnHIT training program is featured on WCCO August 18, 2011
  Normandale Offers $500 Class For High-Demand Job
• Normandale on cutting edge of providing careers in Health IT Field
  Normandale Community College is at the forefront of a pioneering effort to train healthcare and IT professionals for one of the fastest growing job markets in the United States known as “healthcare IT� (HIT). August 11, 20011 NCC Press Release
• Job Talk America: listen to Sunny Ainley's interview
• Lasting Impact: featured by Moni Islam, one of the MnHIT instructors (Normandale Magazine Vol 7 Spr2011)
• A healthy niche - StarTribune, December 27, 2010
• Meet your future needs...- Minnesota Hospital Association, December 27, 2010
• Press Release - Normandale Community College

Program developed in collaboration with five leading universities

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -  Dec. 16, 2010 - Qualified healthcare and IT professionals seeking expanded career opportunities in one of the fastest growing job markets in the U.S. can apply by Dec. 31, 2010 for a new health IT professional online training program being offered statewide by Normandale Community College starting Jan. 12, 2011. Due to a federal grant, the cost of the online training program is only $500. 

The MN Health Information Technology (MnHIT) program is a professional level, non-credit online training program that will train qualified healthcare and/or IT professionals for jobs in the expanding health IT field. Participants will gain knowledge in IT technical skills, health care knowledge, systems theory, workflow planning, decision making, and project and time management. Coursework includes training curricula created by five leading universities including Johns Hopkins, Duke and Columbia University. The training program will also provide student career resources and support.

"This is an exciting opportunity for qualified healthcare and IT professionals to expand and enhance their career in a well-paying and rapidly growing job industry, according to Sunny Ainley, Health IT Program Lead, Center for Applied Learning at Normandale Community College. Due to federal funding, the training program is very low cost and an excellent value."

Program addresses workforce need and employment demand

The innovative statewide online program addresses new workforce needs and employment demands. Rapidly evolving market and regulatory changes in the health care system has created this need for a projected 50,000 additional health information technology professionals in the U.S. over the next five years. Normandale Community College received an $800,000 HITECH grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to provide the online training. The next training will start October, 2011.

"Health information technology is a demanding, growing profession that requires specialized, practical and teachable skills and Normandale Community College is pioneering this effort to meet this demand," said Ainley. "Since Normandale is viewed as a strong leader in the health IT arena, many other colleges from around the country are looking to Normandale as a model to develop HIT workforce programs."

MnHIT Training Program - General Information

Normandale is among a group of 17 community colleges that make up the Midwestern Consortium chosen to train workers to help healthcare facilities and medical practices meet the requirements of the newly passed Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH).  Estimates based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Department of Education, and independent studies indicate a national shortfall over the next five years of approximately 51,000 qualified health information technology workers required to meet the needs of hospitals and physicians as they move to adopt electronic healthcare systems...read more

Led by Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, OH, the Midwestern Consortium Health IT Short-Term Training Program is part of a nationwide effort to ensure that every U.S. citizen has an electronic medical record by 2014. Normandale Community College, along with its consortium peers, will use the grant funds to provide training to current and future healthcare workers who will integrate electronic health record information systems at hospitals, doctor's offices and other medical facilities throughout the nation. Each college will create training programs that can be completed in six months or less by individuals with appropriate prior education and/or experience. 

Normandale Community College will train 300 students in four designated health information technology roles over the next 18 months:

1. Practice Workflow and Information Management Redesign Specialist
2. Clinician/Practitioner Consultant
3. Implementation Support Specialist
4. EHR Trainer

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