Health Information Science and its growing popularities in Indian self financed universities: Emphasizing Private Universities— A Study

- Health is a major concern of today’s age. The development of information technology and computing changes the entire arena of life and the gradual development became responsible for the emergence of Digital Society. Information Technology is about the collection, selection, organization, processing, management and dissemination of information and similar contents viz. data and knowledge. For this task and affairs, several information technological tools have been used and it is increasing rapidly. Today it is very difficult to find out an area where utilization of information technology is absence. Hence healthcare is not an exception. Digital Health becomes an important concept these days for the creation of digital health and medical contents. Similar to other areas like Digital Business, Digital Marketing, Digital Education, Digital Health become a concept and key strategy for the development and modernization of healthcare affairs powered by Information Science and Technology. The integration and combination of information technology and computing create a separate domain and branch called ‘Health Information Science’. However, it is important to note that it is also known as Health Informatics nomenclature in the line of UK based academic units. Initially, the branch was mainly popular in the western countries and developed countries but gradually it is rising as a branch of study in a country like India. Private universities in India are rapidly increasing and the growth, initiative of private initiative is noticeable. This paper is conceptual in nature and deals with aspects of Health Informatics including its growing trends as a program of study in private universities in India.


I. INTRODUCTION
Health Informatics is a field and technologies responsible for the collection, selection, organization, processing, management, and dissemination of health related information with the help of tools, techniques and technologies. Health Informatics is also known as Health Information Science. It is important to note that Information Science term popularized in United States and gradually well known in other countries as well [1,5]. As far as Informatics is concerned the term popularized and conceptualized in UK and also used in other countries. Hence both 'Information Science' and 'Informatics' term become popular and same case to case basis. Today Health Informatics becomes important applied science branch of study and useful not only in developed nations but also in developing nations as well. The areas viz. Hospitals, healthcare units, medical diagnostics centre, clinical center, pharmaceutical centers and laboratories, clinical establishments are important clients and utilizing areas of Health Informatics skilled or knowledge products [2,3,7]. Universities are offering BSc, MSc, PhD, even Post Doctoral Degrees in the field of Health Information Science. In India as well initially only deemed universities offered the program and gradually in recent past, some of the universities started to offer the program on Health Informatics. The growth of private universities is the main reason behind this [4,6]. Though, sometimes allied branches are also offered in Health Information Sciences. The Figure 1 shows the basic concept of Health Informatics for enhanced healthcare systems.

II. OBJECTIVE
The main aim of this research work is to include the following (should not be confused with only limited to these)- To learn about the Health Informatics including its basic,its meaning and characteristics.  To dig out the core areas of Health Informatics or Health Information Science branches which are emerging rapidly.  To find out the early days of Health Informatics promotion and development in India in a brief manner.  To learn about the Health Informatics programs available worldwide and their changing area of specialization.  To learn about the private universities in India with reference to the institutions of Health Informatics programs.
 To dig out the basic of Health Informatics programs in India other than Private Universities.  To find out the core challenges, issues and the key concern of Health Informatics promotion in India with reference to educational projects.

III. METHODOLGY
This is a conceptual and theoretical work and mainly deals to find out of basics of Health Informatics including nature and concept. This is a work dedicated to find out the educational programs in the field of computing and informatics in respect of Healthcare. Here basic literature review has been performed to dig out the latest of Health Informatics and moreover web review has been undertaken in depth to learn about current trends of Health Informatics and allied fields. Moreover, web review has been conducted through the UGC (Govt. Dental Informatics: Dental Informatics is a practicing domain and also emerging as a field of study responsible for the collection, organization, and dissemination of information related to dental sciences. It is emerging as an area of knowledge within Health Information Sciences. It is the key for the new age, modern dentist, and dental houses to keep records related to the dentistry [7,11]. The advancement of information and communication technology led the development of more faster and efficient systems and among them Data Science is important one for sorting data and information among the large amount of data and complex data. Hence the concept of Health Data Science has been arrived in recent past.

V. GROWING HEALTH INFORMATICS, INDIA & ACADEMIA
Health Informatics initiative in India has been started in the year 1960's and the core initiative has been taken since 1970.
With the initiation of MEDLINE in 1991 India started its journey in Health Informatics journey. The Health Literature, Library and Information Service (HELLIS) later on were established in the year 1979 in India. The most major computing and informatics establishment from the government level in India was National Informatics Centre (NIC) and it has played a great role for the progress of health information development. Later on, the MEDLINE was a great development in the health related database. The joint venture of ICMR-NIC was noted in the year 1986 [9,10]. The National Informatics Centre later (in 1993) again started with the nomenclature as Health Information Network having over 200 centers. Within a short span of time the collection reached to 160 countries. The main benefit of this project wasthe collection of bibliographical data in health and medical affairs. Later on,it also offers the full text data as well as also the internet facilities.After few years the progress of the Medical and Health Informatics was also started and that time National Medical Library establishment was a milestone. These health informatics initiatives helped a lot in progress and betterment of services to the medical colleges, hospitals, clinical centers, dental centers and so on [8,11]. Gradually later on some of the universities have started the initiative for offering Health Informatics as a program of study. Initially, some universities started to offer a paper or course and gradually full-fledged Masters Degree as well.
Among the initiative first was taken by the Manipal University, Karnataka with a degree of MSc. Later Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Amrita University, Tamilnadu and others have started different kind of Health Informatics programs (detail has been listed in Table: 1).

VI. HEALTH INFORMATICS AND ITS NEED WITH REFERENCE TO PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES: THE GROWING INDIA
Health informatics is the combination of knowledge, skills, as well as tools that help in information to be collected, managed, delivery of medical as well as healthcare services and also promoting healthcare services. Healthcare is actually one of the growing segments where information technology and computer science helps in ensuring better efficiency. In generally we may call the application of information technology etc for solving the problems in the field of healthcare and medicine. Ultimately Health Informatics helps to reduce cost and also increasing efficiency for the promotion and development of new healthcare concepts and services.
Internationally healthcare and life sciences market is increasing and will reach $10.8 trillion within 2020 for the ultimate promotion of the e-health and preventative healthcare the highest growth areas. According to the sources in 2014 (worldwide), Healthcare IT opportunity is about $46.7B and by 2020 the medical information will binary (double)in every 73 days. As per latest study United States is the biggest healthcare market by size but gradually other areas of the globe moving for a better position. Healthcare industry has the potentiality to reach out the inefficiency and as a result like developing countries in India also a better tomorrow is awaiting for. Most countries which include developing like India and developed are in shortage of skilled healthcare manpower.
Health Informatics has a wide range of application and opportunities in healthcare settings and organizations viz.
 Shift from the paper-based processes to the electronic processes for the creation of electronic medical / health records.
 Health Informatics is responsible for reducing cost in the Healthcare settings in future context and also for reducing complexity.
 Lack of and minimum qualified information technology professionals needed for Healthcare automation and modernization. Moving medical records online will improve the way healthcare is deliveredcomputing will deliver greater efficiency to medicine." Moreover, job title wise Health Informatics has numerous opportunities worldwide even in developing countries like India. Some of the possible job opportunities and titles as prescribed by the reputed MGUMST, an institute of excellence in Health Informatics are listed in Table: 2.  Table: 3   Apart from these programs other academic offerings also exist, details on this may be noted from the Table: 5. It is worthy to note that most of these universities offer the program of Health Informatics as a specialization in Engineering, and Management. More clearly the new age MBA in Health Informatics (nomenclature as Health Information Technology) is offered by the Chitkara University, Punjab. The BTech program which is most common in India now also lies in Health Informatics. Specifically, Health Informatics is offered in the most sought-after, available BTech subject i.e. Computer Science and Engineering (CSE). This program is offered with the nomenclature BTech-Computer Science and Engineering (Health Informatics). This program is offered by the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, UK [7,12]. And importantly this is offered with the technical collaboration and cooperation from the IBM. The details of curricula have been listed in Table: 6 as a token of understanding and clarification in this regard. Whereas apart from these mandatory Health Informatics papers optional four (4) papers / courses are also offered from the list of electives (anyone from each program list). Please refer Table: 7. Hence it is a good move by the private universities not only for offering full-fledged programs and degrees in the areas of Health Informatics but also specialization and major.

VII. FINDINGS AND SUGGESTIONS
Government taking proper initiative for the promotion of higher education in some context and as a result, various universities are established in recent past and thus such private universities are starting programs in the field of Health Informatics and allied branches. However, it is worthy to mention that following may be noted as an important suggestion in this regard- Government needs healthy cooperation and collaboration for smarter Health Informatics environment creation and support from various ministries of the allied branches are highly required viz. Health, Family Welfare and related departments and ministries.  The NGOs and social welfare organizations and also other Higher Educational Institutes viz. Universities, colleges, research centers required proper initiative for the promotion of Healthcare Systems and here Health Informatics can play a vital role.  Initially if starting full-fledged Health Informatics programs with BSc, MSc, BBA, MBA, BTech, MTech etc are tough then the specializations in the field may also be offered gradually.  IT and Healthcare professionals may be engaged in the current Health Informatics projects and also in the contemporary training, seminars, workshop etc for the development of Healthcare systems.

VIII. CONCLUSION
India is suffering from Health Informatics related problems and among the challenges important one includes better and enhanced task management. Less and minimum awareness is another reason for the growth of Health Informatics programs in India. Problems related to funding and finance are also important in India for the solid promotion of healthcare segment and also Health Informatics practices. It is an important move by the private universities regarding the initiation of Health Informatics programs [7], [9]. More importantly, private universities need to offer more programs in the Health Informatics areas and sub fields after gradual development viz. Dental Informatics, Nursing Informatics, Neuro Informatics, Bio Informatics etc. Among the Higher Educational Institutes (HEIs) a good percentage belongs with the Government funded and from that space, the initiatives are very minimum; more clearly not a single university offers the program on Health Informatics. However initially, they may offer the program as a specialization and gradually as a major in the areas of Computer Science, Information Technology, and Information Sciences at the Masters or Bachelors program.