Health Care Informatics: Courses

The course explores the history, evolution and current applications of decision support. Emphasis is on the unique challenges of data representation and information retrieval techniques that are foundational to decision support systems.

This course covers the role of information systems within the organization and how they can be used to make operations more efficient while saving time and energy. The use of critical thinking skills to explore methods of using information systems to increase productivity and as the competitive advantage will be a large component of this course.

Students will be taught how to design, develop and implement an information systems project so that it meets all aspects of stakeholder needs and will discuss how to initiate, analyze, develop, implement and maintain system projects. Concepts taught will apply to any type of organization.

This course offers an introduction to the field of clinical data science and its role and application in the modern healthcare landscape. Through this course, a student will gain familiarity with fundamental concepts including sourcing data, data at scale ("big data"), data governance and preparing data for use in predictive modeling. An introduction to data visualization is provided to assist in telling the story of the data.

This course surveys the fundamental concepts and activities of information technology as applied to health care. Topics include computer-based medical records, electronic health record, knowledge-based systems, decision theory and decision support, e-Health, ARRA/HITECH and Meaningful Use and the personal health record. Students will learn informatics competencies, concepts, legal and ethical implications and applications within the health care industry. This course will introduce the student to the software development life cycle, human factors issues in health care informatics, critical issues affecting the development and implementation of information and communication systems and technologies; practice trends; and emerging information and communication technology in health care (CPOE, eMAR, barcode medication administration systems, e-Prescribing, etc.)

To be successful in today's highly connected environment, organizations understand their risks and make plans accordingly. Having an effective Information Security Plan often separates companies that succeed from those that do not. This course is designed to communicate the fundamental concepts of risk-based information security planning focused on healthcare along with individuals and organizations involved in these sectors.

This course covers the ethical and legal issues in informatics, those currently in place and on the horizon in health care organizations; utilizes the evaluation of case studies, group and class discussions, and problem-based learning of the effective utilization of information technology applications; and features guest lecturers with relevant experience in health care informatics.

Students focus on evaluating the environment and activities necessary to plan, select, contract, implement and maintain systems from vendors in the health care IT sector. The course evaluates all aspects of vendor/client relationships, noting the benefits and challenges inherent within.

This course covers from a patient/consumer perspective the use of electronic information to improve health outcomes and decision making. It focuses on aspects of the consumer health information process as well as resources which are utilized in fulfilling the information needs. Areas of emphasis include mobile health (mHealth), health literacy, electronic and mobile products from the health care sector, delivery of online consumer health information, and issues in security of protected health information.

Students will examine the challenges associated with leading and managing organizational behavior within complex situations in a health care setting. Leadership and Organizational Behavior focuses on developing skills for identifying behavioral and organizational problems, creating alternative solutions, making and communicating decisions and winning commitment for your position. It also focuses on understanding the general theme of how health care organizations behave, gaining an understanding of how individual values, preferences and behaviors integrate with organizational policies and dynamics.

This course involves designing, operating and improving the processes whereby any firm (such as a hospital) transforms raw materials (like sick patients) into finished goods (like cured patients). A key role is to manage the flow of work through these process steps, with the goal of closely matching supply with demand, while enhancing quality and minimizing cost.

This course offers an introduction to the field of predictive analytics and its role and application in the modern healthcare landscape. Through this course, a student will gain familiarity with more advanced concepts of sourcing data, data at scale ("big data"), data governance, and preparing data for use in predictive modeling. Additional focus will be on the predictive modeling and visualization to tell the story of the data.

This is an issues-oriented course that provides a broad background of information on current issues emerging and impacting the health care industry. Topics will include key trends and regulatory conditions confronting health care today from a policy, management, technology and regulatory perspective.

The capstone project will be decided by the student and includes a health care component. Students will submit a formal proposal for approval before the project begins. An example of such a project is students serving as consultants for an area business and developing solutions to current problems and issues. Students will gain invaluable, hands-on experience while working on actual business projects, interact with area business professionals and be advised by a faculty member. A formal written report and presentation will be delivered at the conclusion of the project.