Evaluating curriculum for health informatics courses in India – A comparative analysis of the skills required by the industry and skills imparted by accredited courses using the Delphi approach

Abstract

The study addresses the necessity of informatics skills in the healthcare sector due to rapid technological advancements. It aims to establish a connection between skills taught in healthcare information technology (IT) courses and those required for health informatics jobs, offering solutions to bridge the skills gap. Job postings from Glassdoor, Indeed, and Monster in India from August to October 2022 were analyzed, yielding 926 initial posts. After refining, 44 jobs matched criteria. Details from postings, including organization nature, education, experience, skills, and software expertise, were collected. Analyst roles were common (53%), with IT service management systems prevailing (40%). Most jobs were full-time (98%) and mainly in Bengaluru (30%). Key skills were data modeling, data visualization, and Microsoft Office, along with programming languages like JAVA, Python, and SQL. Out of 77 colleges, only 18 met inclusion criteria. Recorded educational institution data encompassed healthcare IT management programs, course details, affiliations, and competency evaluation. In the evolving information society, creating a standardized health informatics curriculum is vital for India’s skilled workforce.