DSU health programming benefits from involvement in professional society
January 15, 2025
Three Dakota State University faculty members are long-time leaders in the Health Information Management and Systems Society (HIMSS) Dakotas Chapter, which is part of the largest healthcare IT group in the world.
“We’ve been involved since the very beginning of the South Dakota Chapter in 2011,” said Dr. Patti Brooks, associate professor and director of the Center for Advancement of Health IT.
HIMSS is an international association dedicated to transforming health through technology; they have chapters throughout the United States and the world. Over 125,000 members of the organization gain access to resources developed by other countries, participate in professional development, and network with industry professionals.
“Dean Dorine Bennett was integral to starting the Dakotas chapter and DSU getting organizational affiliate status,” Brooks said.
Dr. Renae Spohn, Julie Wulf Plimpton, and Brooks serve in leadership roles on the Board of Directors for the Dakotas Chapter. Brooks is president and membership director, Spohn is president-elect, and Wulf Plimpton is secretary.
“It’s a good investment for DSU to continue to partner with HIMSS,” Spohn said. “We gain a lot, and they gain a lot of our expertise.”
In addition to holding leadership roles, Brooks, Spohn, and Wulf Plimpton have led webinars for members of the Dakotas Chapter and broader organization. Webinars and conferences held through the organization are beneficial for sharing knowledge between academic training and those working in the industry.
“We stay current and active with our peers in the work world,” Wulf Plimpton said.
“Our involvement allows us to maintain partnerships with vendors, providers in healthcare, and other academic institutions,” Spohn explained. “It’s that strength of bringing together all aspects of the profession that benefits everyone involved.”
However, the benefits don’t just help faculty and those currently working in the industry. DSU is an academic organizational affiliate and approved education partner, meaning that any student interested in healthcare information systems and technology can access a free membership while enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student at DSU.
Additionally, members can sit for the following credentialing exams: Certified Associate in Healthcare Information and Management Systems, Certified Professional in Healthcare Information and Management Systems, and Certified Professional in Digital Health Transformation Strategy.
Students who have a desire to work in healthcare technology are eligible for scholarships offered through the HIMSS Dakotas Chapter. Brooks was integral in creating a scholarship program for the Dakotas chapter. This provides two annual $1,000 scholarships to undergraduate or graduate students. The primary requirements are students currently working or intending to work in healthcare technology and pursuing a degree in areas such as health information management, health informatics, nursing informatics, information systems, industrial engineering, biomedical engineering, computer science, or data analytics and enrolled in a secondary education private, public, or technical college in North or South Dakota.