Health Informatics professional drives the data that is transforming patient care at one of the largest health care systems in St. Louis.
Mark Brinley of St. Louis says there is no better time to be a part of information technology in health care. As the vice president of enterprise applications at Mercy – one of the top health systems in the U.S. – Mark applies his knowledge of health informatics to his career, creating a more efficient and effective way to manage data and communicate with patients.
Today, the 23-year Mercy veteran maintains one of the most sophisticated electronic health records in use. “Our industry has been heading toward more predictive and proactive analytics for some time,” he said. “The ability to tap into electronic health records and integrate more outside data to create a comprehensive 360-degree view of a patient’s health is vital so we can serve them in the best way possible, creating a more intimate and personalized experience.”
Five years ago, Mark recognized a desire to advance his professional career through education. He was attracted to the flexible format of the online Master’s in Health Informatics at Logan University in Chesterfield, Missouri. There, he found an engaging community of colleagues and faculty, many of them who held active roles in the health care and health care technology industries.
“Knowing they were peers in the industry was a comforting feeling and made the learning experience so much richer, as I applied what I was learning in the moment.” He also appreciated how the health informatics curriculum evolved to consider shifts in the health care industry. “Even after I graduated, Logan’s leadership was already reassessing and readapting courses for changes that were happening in the market.”
Mark says as more consumers are being pulled into technology and health care, the greater need there is to provide better-informed care through the sharing of information. “It’s imperative for health care IT leaders to be educated, and health informatics is absolutely essential in my field,” Mark said.
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