Healthcare analytics is the process of collecting, managing, and analyzing healthcare data to help inform clinical, operational, and business decisions across healthcare organizations. It is a core specialization within the broader field of health informatics, which the National Library of Medicine defines as the interdisciplinary study of designing, developing, and applying information technology to healthcare delivery, management, and planning.
If you’re interested in technology, data, and improving healthcare systems, healthcare analytics offers an opportunity to apply analytical skills in support of patient care, operational efficiency, and organizational decision-making. USF Health’s Morsani College of Medicine offers a 100% online, CAHIIM-accredited MSHI Healthcare Analytics program.
Why Earn a Health Informatics Degree From a Medical School?
Because it puts you directly inside the environment your degree is meant to serve. USF Health’s Morsani College of Medicine offers its Master of Science in Health Informatics within an academic setting built around healthcare education, research, and clinical practice — not a general business or computer science department. That means you’re learning healthcare analytics alongside the broader healthcare and informatics concepts that give it real context, taught by faculty with actual experience in healthcare, informatics, and information technology.
The result is coursework grounded in practical application from the start — built around how healthcare analytics gets used in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare settings, not just how it works in theory.
What Will You Learn in USF Health’s MSHI Healthcare Analytics Program?
The Healthcare Analytics program focuses on practical analytical skills that can be applied across a variety of healthcare environments. Coursework includes topics such as:
- Data dashboards and visualization to communicate complex healthcare information
- Data preparation and data mining techniques for healthcare datasets
- Descriptive and predictive analytics for healthcare decision-making
- SAS Studio, SAS Visual Analytics, and SAS Viya, analytics platforms used in healthcare and other industries
Students apply these concepts through coursework designed to build analytical and technical skills relevant to health informatics.
What Is the SAS Academic Specialization?
Students enrolled in the Healthcare Analytics program have the opportunity to earn a Tier 3 SAS Academic Specialization by completing the SAS-approved Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Analytics.
The certificate consists of the first four courses within the Healthcare Analytics program. Upon successful completion of those courses, eligible students earn both the graduate certificate and the Tier 3 SAS Academic Specialization while continuing toward completion of the master’s degree.
Program Features
USF Health’s MSHI Healthcare Analytics program includes:
- CAHIIM accreditation
- 100% online coursework
- A curriculum focused on healthcare analytics and health informatics
- Instruction from faculty with professional experience in healthcare, informatics, and information technology
- Opportunities to earn the SAS-approved Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Analytics and Tier 3 SAS Academic Specialization as part of the program
- Collaborative online learning tools, including discussion boards, virtual collaboration spaces, and other interactive learning resources
Can You Complete the Program While Working?
The fully online format is designed to provide flexibility for students balancing graduate education with professional and personal responsibilities. Students access coursework through an online learning environment that includes collaborative tools, instructor interaction, and opportunities for peer engagement.
Because course schedules and individual circumstances vary, prospective students are encouraged to review the program format to determine whether it aligns with their professional and personal commitments.
Who Is This Program Designed For?
The Healthcare Analytics program may be a good fit for individuals who want to combine healthcare knowledge with data analysis and information technology. This includes:
- Healthcare professionals interested in expanding their analytical and informatics knowledge
- Information technology or data professionals seeking experience in healthcare applications
- Professionals working in hospitals, health systems, clinics, or related organizations
- Individuals interested in health informatics and healthcare data management
What Careers May Be Supported by a Healthcare Analytics Degree?
Healthcare organizations rely on data to support clinical operations, administrative functions, quality improvement initiatives, and organizational planning. As a result, healthcare analytics skills may be applicable across a variety of health informatics and healthcare technology roles which include healthcare data analyst, clinical informatics analyst, data visualization specialist, or health information analyst, depending on employer requirements.
A Healthcare Analytics program can help students develop knowledge and technical skills used in healthcare analytics, data management, and health informatics. Individual career opportunities vary based on factors such as prior experience, education, geographic location, employer requirements, and market conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is healthcare analytics?
Healthcare analytics involves collecting, managing, and analyzing healthcare data to support clinical, operational, and organizational decision-making. It is one area of specialization within health informatics.
Is USF Health’s MSHI program accredited?
Yes. USF Health’s Master of Science in Health Informatics is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
Is the program fully online?
Yes. The MSHI Healthcare Analytics program is delivered entirely online.
Do I need to complete a separate program to earn the SAS Academic Specialization?
No. Eligible students earn the Tier 3 SAS Academic Specialization by completing the SAS-approved Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Analytics, which is incorporated into the Healthcare Analytics curriculum.
Who teaches in the program?
Courses are taught by faculty with experience in healthcare, health informatics, and information technology.
What background do I need to apply?
Admission requirements vary depending on an applicant’s academic and professional background. Prior experience in analytics or programming is not required. Prospective students should review the official admission requirements and curriculum on the USF Health website for current information.
Take the Next Step
Healthcare organizations continue to use data to inform patient care, operational planning, and organizational decision-making. If you’re interested in developing skills in healthcare analytics and health informatics, explore the USF Health Master of Science in Health Informatics with a Healthcare Analytics program.
