June 30, 2021

This paid piece is sponsored by Dakota State University.

Information has been called the lifeblood of medicine, and health information technology has been compared to the circulatory system for that information.

For more than four decades, Dakota State has been a part of that health information circulatory system, providing relevant degrees through the College of Business and Information Systems for those interested in a health care career. Since 1977, more than 700 DSU students have graduated with degrees in health information management, or HIM, from the certificate to the doctoral level and are now working around the country.

One of those degrees, the Master of Science in Health Informatics and Information Management, or MSHIIM, prepares graduates for leadership roles in health information.

Caitlin Pick, a senior health informaticist for Avera Health, just finished her MSHIIM degree, which will be a huge help whenever she’s ready to move up in her career.

The degree “gave me more insight on how things work at a higher level than the position I’m currently in and an awareness of things behind the scenes or on the IT side,” Pick said.

“It gave me a better overall understanding of what’s going on in the health care world.”

Graduates gain knowledge in information systems, health care and statistics, and are prepared to work with electronic health records, health information governance, ethical data analytics and research, and improving clinician workflow for better decision-making. The MSHIIM program also prepares students for professional certifications, such as the AHIMA Certified Health Data Analytics and the Registered Health Information Administrator Exams.

“One of the best parts about the DSU program is everything is so relevant to what I’m already doing in my job,” she said.

In fact, almost every single class was directly related to one of the projects she was working on at her job.

And because the professors have worked in the field, they are able to share real-life examples, Pick said. “You could tell they were very well-versed in health care overall.”

Pick knew most of the professors from her undergraduate days at Dakota State, where she received her bachelor’s degree in 2014. She began the master’s program in 2019 after her best friend completed it and had positive things to say about the MSHIIM degree.

Working full time while going to graduate school is a commitment, she acknowledged.

“Although it was definitely challenging, it was definitely doable,” she said, adding that “It was a good challenge. It wasn’t too much to handle, but it was a good push for me.”

Pick’s experience as a college athlete helped as well because time management is always key for student-athletes, she said. A native of Kimball, Pick was a member of the DSU volleyball team, so she had experience blocking off time and understanding that sometimes you need to say no to plans.

She made that same commitment with the MSHIIM program and stuck with it because “I knew this was temporary, and it was important to me.” She completed the program this month.

Pick recommends health information as a career. There are a number of options for a career path, and she noted how important the field is in the health care world.

“People are becoming more and more tech-savvy and are able to pull medical information through online access,” she said. On top of that, health information is about making sure the staff who are helping the patients understand how the system works and how to be efficient in that system.

“That affects patients as well,” she stated, as does the wait time for registration, how easy it is to get an estimate or talking to somebody in the department.

“Patient satisfaction is definitely something that’s always on our minds.”

Pick works in Sioux Falls and is involved with projects dealing with the acute revenue cycle, insurance eligibility, patient estimates and registration quality assurance. She enjoys her job because “it’s so different every day.” She likes being on the front line, involved with changes that come along and helping to make sure the implementation goes smoothly, the system is working properly and staff are educated and trained.

“It’s a good balance of responsibility and being involved in what’s happening,” she said.

This career choice – and these DSU degrees – have been a good fit for Pick.

“This fits my personality exactly and is what I was looking for in career,” she said.

In her work, “I feel rewarded, and I’m always engaged, always challenged and always interested in what I’m doing.”

For information about DSU’s health information programs, email [email protected] or call 605-256-5165.