Online platform launches to help train health workers

Online learning platform Coursera has launched Health Vertical – a portfolio of health content from universities designed to help address a shortage of skilled workers in the health industry and meet the demands of a digital health economy.

There are 100 news courses, 30 new specialisations and two public health-focused master’s degrees – related to jobs including health informatics, healthcare management and public health.

Changes in demographic factors including an ageing population, an increase in chronic diseases and a resurgence of untreatable infectious diseases means healthcare systems are coming under more pressure, while opportunities for personalised care driven by genetics, genomics, immunotherapy and integrative therapies are beginning to change the skills required.

McKinsey estimates that healthcare-related jobs could grow globally by 80 million to 130 million by 2030, with changes creating demand across a broad range of occupations.

Daphne Koller, co-founder of Coursera said: “I am deeply passionate about driving innovation in healthcare. The sector, which is under enormous strain to support the needs of a growing and ageing population, presents a huge opportunity for meaningful technological transformation that stands to not only improve health outcomes for people around the world but also reduce the increasingly unaffordable costs of healthcare, both to individuals and to society. I’m excited to see Coursera and its partners coming together to help realise that potential by providing access to flexible and affordable education options that can help usher in the next generation of healthcare workers in high-demand fields like health informatics, healthcare management, and public health.”

The new portfolio of content is designed to develop or supplement knowledge for those already working in the healthcare space or to provide a path to a career in healthcare.

Coursera’s partners in the project include University of Michigan, Imperial College London, University of Colorado, Columbia University, Emory University, John Hopkins University and University of Minnesota.

Helen Ward, Master of public health at Imperial College London, said: “While there have been significant improvements in global health in recent decades, we still have major challenges ahead. The world needs many more people trained in the science and application of public health to address chronic diseases such as diabetes and dementia, emerging infections, and health impacts of environmental hazards and inequality. Our new degree will help train a new cadre of public health leaders to use scientific approaches and new technologies and apply these to improve health.”

The new Specialisations will roll-out through 2019.