Angela Ross, DNP named new DHI Program Director

Effective Dec. 1, Assistant Professor Angela Ross, DNP, MPH, PMP, DASM, PHCNS-BC, FHIMSS has been named the new Doctorate in Health Informatics (DHI) Program Director at McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston.

“It is an honor to serve in this role and continue to support the DHI program,” stated Ross. “As one of the few faculty members at McWilliams with a practice doctorate, I’ve completed an evidence-based, translational project in a large health care organization at the enterprise level. I have also utilized quality improvement processes to design, select, and evaluate technology to improve health care outcomes.”

Ross joined the school in August of 2015 as an assistant professor. Since that time, she has taught hundreds of students as an instructor in ten different McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics courses. Beyond her work within academic as an educator, she also volunteers her informatics expertise at various health care organizations in the community.

Ross has several degrees including a BSN from Dillard University, MPH from Tulane University, and a MS in Nursing Informatics and a DNP with an emphasis on informatics and executive leadership from the University of Maryland. For over 25 years, Ross served in the Army Medical Department. She held various positions during her tenure including chief medical information officer, acting chief of system service and design, and project manager for the U.S. Army Medical Information Technology Center, now called the Defense Health Agency (DHA).

Vice Dean for Education Susan Fenton, PhD held the program director role before her recent promotion. “Dr. Ross has always played a pivotal role in the DHI program and under her direction, it will continue to thrive,” noted Fenton. “From the development of the original program proposal, through inception, and into the day-to-day planning, she has always been instrumental to the effective operation and execution of this degree.”

The objective of the Doctorate in Health Informatics program is to bridge the gap between research and practice for executive-level informatics professionals seeking a terminal degree. Under the leadership of Ross, the school will continue to successfully usher both DHI students and graduates across that bridge as they are prepared for the highest levels of informatics leadership.

“As the new DHI Program Director, my ultimate goal is to help our students improve practice within their organizations by best utilizing evidence-based practice. Thankfully, we have the support of our Advisory Council, McWilliams subject matter experts, interprofessional IT community, and organizational partners and clinicians. Together, we can better incorporate health care innovations to support organizational efficiency and improve alignment between technology and quality improvement.”

To learn more about the DHI program, we encourage prospective students to attend a virtual information session on Dec. 19 (12 pm CT). Visit our website to register for the event.