New program director helps shape role of health
informatics
Christine Hurley Deriso
June 23, 2005
Amanda Carroll-Barefield, assistant professor of health informatics in
the Medical College of Georgia School of Allied Health Sciences, has been
named program director for the undergraduate and certificate programs in
the Department of Health Informatics effective July 1.
The
department offers an applied informatics degree in health information
administration. This degree prepares graduates for informatics-related
roles in health care. These programs include a bachelor of science degree
and a post-baccalaureate certificate in health information administration.
Both programs are offered on campus and online. Ms. Carroll-Barefield's
responsibilities will include oversight of accreditation standards and
curricular updates.
"Ms. Carroll-Barefield's experience and
expertise in informatics and distance education make her a perfect match
for the role of program director," said Dr. Carol Campbell, chair of the
Department of Health Informatics and associate dean for business
operations in the MCG School of Allied Health Sciences. "I'm pleased she
has accepted this new role in our department."
"Overseeing these
programs is particularly vital as health informatics assumes an
increasingly important role in health care on both an individual and
societal level," said Dr. Shelley Mishoe, dean of the School of Allied
Health Sciences.
"Health informatics is assuming a central role as
our country moves toward electronic health records and ever-growing
vigilance to ensure patient privacy," said Ms. Carroll-Barefield. "It's
very exciting to be educating students during such a pivotal point in
health care. Our programs prepare graduates to lead these innovations in
health care delivery."
Ms. Carroll-Barefield earned a bachelor's
degree in health information management from MCG and a master's degree in
administration from Central Michigan State University. She is completing
doctoral work in instructional technology and distance education from Nova
Southeastern University.
She joined the MCG faculty in 1998 and is
a member of the American Health Information Management
Association.