1. ISlands in Health-IT: A Look at the Current Status of IS-Health Academic Programs Vance Wilson University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Presentation to the AIS SIG-Health 8/4/2006 Business Meeting

2. What Defines an IS-Health Program Im using the term IS-Health to refer to interdisciplinary health-IT programs that are located primarily within information systems, information science, or computer science academic units rather than in health-related units These programs tend to adapt a fundamental emphasis on analysis, design, production, and management of IT to meet needs of the healthcare domain rather than augmenting health topics with discussion of technology

3. Why Focus on IS-Health Programs? 1. Faculty in IS programs must meet specific tenure and promotion requirements that are qualitatively different from those of faculty in health-related programs 2. IS researchers use different theories, methods, and research traditions than researchers in health-related disciplines; resulting papers can be difficult to publish in health-IT outlets 3. AIS SIGHealth is well-positioned to support unique needs of faculty and researchers who work in IS programs, adding to the professional support provided by other health-IT organizations, e.g., AMIA, IMIA, HIMSS

4. Results of Initial RFI RFI sent to ISWorld list and to SIGHealth email list during mid-July 21 responses, including one in planning stages and five who wrote to describe programs that are housed in health-related academic units Summary of 15 IS-Health programs Location: USA = 10Intl. = 5 Unit type:CS/IS = 7Intdsc. = 4Bus. = 4 Degrees:BS = 5MS = 9Doc = 1 List is located at: http://www.sba.uwm.edu/rish

5. A Very Diverse Mix University of Michigan: Offers dual degree grad programs in conjunction with business, medicine (MD), law (JD), social work, public policy, and nursing Dakota State University: Currently focuses on undergrads at Associate and Bachelor degree levels Stevens Institute of Technology: Incorporates an IT in Pharmaceutical Industry track Brunel University (UK): Emphasizes IT to support e-health and telemedicine applications De Montfort University (UK): Website states that "Course contents [are] oriented toward the needs of the National Programme for IT, so that graduates are immediately employable."

6. Implications Relating to SIGHealth IS-Health programs are isolated, making it difficult for faculty to support their teaching and research and hard for new Ph.D.s to identify employment opportunities SIGHealth can provide a forum for discussion and socialization within the field IS-Health programs are diverse and poorly categorized, leading to dilution of these programs contributions in the larger health-IT community SIGHealth can promote publication outlets for study and standardization of the IS-Health field