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Majors & Degrees

First Students graduate from "it's a hit!" program

June 4, 2015

Twelve rural Community Health Center healthcare workforce members including eight Horizon Health Care staff and four Prairie Community Health staff recently completed the Prairie Health IT Network’s health information technology (health IT) training program called “It’s a HIT!”  In less than a year, staff completed three components of the program including health IT training, electronic health record instruction and a final project.  In recognition of their achievements, the staff attended a celebration in Chamberlain, SD where they shared their final projects with the group. Scott Weatherill, Horizon’s CIO, had this to say.

“I’d like to thank the “It’s a HIT!” participants for taking time out of their work and personal schedules to gather in Chamberlain and share their health IT projects and provide valuable feedback that will be used to better the program this fall.   I enjoyed celebrating the students’ hard work and viewing the fruits of their labor during their project presentations!”

Participants of the program included the following employees: Katy Goulding, Certified Nurse Practitioner/Office Manager, Krissy Johnson, Outreach & Enrollment Coordinator/Marketing, Gin Wingen, Director of Clinical Informatics, Jodi Hamilton, Health Information Technician, Charity Hathaway, Registered Nurse, Barb Walter, Registered Nurse, Joan Biever, Certified Medical Assistant, Sandy Baumberger, Certified Medical Assistant, Lisa Virchow, Receptionist/Informatics Assistant, Priscilla Werner, Receptionist/Billing Clerk, Nancy Church, Receptionist and Kris Strohfus, Receptionist.

The program is offered by the Prairie Health IT Network, a subsidiary of Horizon Health Care, Inc. in partnership with Dakota State University (DSU).  The Prairie Health IT Network and faculty from DSU’s Health Information Management program are working over the summer to further enhance the program curriculum.  The program offers healthcare workers in rural communities an opportunity to become proficient in the use of health IT within their local clinic setting. The program is targeted towards current healthcare staff in various positions who would like to improve their proficiency with and understanding of health IT.
    
The Prairie Health IT Network is currently seeking individuals for its second cohort of students. Its next session begins in the fall of 2015.  If you are interested in learning more, please visit www.prairiehealthnetwork.com.