In May, the University of Washington’s Health Informatics and Health Information Management (HIHIM) Class of 2025 met to present capstone projects completed during their final spring quarter of the program. Fifteen teams of graduating seniors presented a culminating project, putting two years of learning into practice.
For their capstone project, student teams are matched with a Seattle-area health care organization to gain experience in areas such as management, problem-solving, systems analysis, health information systems implementation, change management, and regulatory compliance.
“Through the capstone experience,” said HIHIM faculty and capstone facilitator Carrie Kaelin, “our students are not only testing their professional skills, but they are also stepping in to help at critical points within our healthcare system.”
In one project, HIHIM seniors tackled a review of Fred Hutch Cancer Center documents from 2009-2018 to determine the appropriate storage location. Students used EPIC software to verify patient information and to make the correct storage placement decision. This project required attention to detail and proper handling of sensitive patient data in compliance with privacy regulations.
Shirley Hin (HIHIM ‘25) says being part of a real-world work situation “helped me build more confidence in working independently and making decisions in a real HIM environment. It showed me how much I’ve developed not just technically, but in how I approach complex situations and apply what I’ve learned in a meaningful way.”
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see our students applying the skills they’ve gained throughout the program in their capstone experiences,” according to director of HIHIM programs Dr. Karima Lalani. “They’re not only mastering the skills needed in health informatics and health information management, but they are also poised to lead innovation and drive meaningful change in the field.”
At the University of Washington Autism Center, students took a deep dive into the existing Central Reach management software to activate unused features, make recommendations for improvements to the Client Portal tool and provide training resources to UWAC staff. Capstone students conducted interviews with UWAC navigators and clinicians to learn where families most often face barriers with the current client portal configuration. Through these conversations, they developed a guide for portal improvements. These changes impacted the facilitation of schedules, messaging, and client data management.
The capstone project tests both knowledge and skill for HIHIM students as they make the transition from the classroom into the HIM profession. Hin describes the value of the experience, saying “I now feel more prepared to take on the responsibilities of HIM work beyond the classroom.”
According to Kaelin, the capstone experience provides a benefit to all parties involved. “In an era where information moves fast and staffing shortages are common, our students provide a valuable service within the industry.”