Graduate education in health decision support systems (HDSSs): reconfiguring the health information system (HIS) basket or putting HDSS Humpty Dumpty together again?

Building on previous discussions in graduate health information system (HIS) education, this article focuses on the design of a course in health decision support systems (HDSSs). The goal here is not simply to add to existing prospectives of HIS theories and methodologies, but to prepare these students for changing trends in HIS technologies and applications and for new challenges in HIS administration and impacts arising from these emerging, more advanced, and complex technologies. Specifically, advancing HDSS technology: (1) promises to close the gap between theory and practice, (2) creates a new perspective for the application of information technologies in health care organizations, and (3) enhances innovations in the management and implementation of health information technologies. This paper highlights the need for graduate education in HDSS domain knowledge and how such knowledge can be taught in preparing students for managing change in the future health care environment.