HIFX Health Informatics

This class will explore health informatics, an interdisciplinary field that deals with the use of information technology, information science, and other tools to manage and analyze data, information, and knowledge in healthcare. It will introduce the student to a wide range of activities, such as the development and use of electronic health records (EHRs), telemedicine, and data analytics, to improve patient care and population health management, as well as the management of healthcare organizations. Health informatics also involves the study of the ethical, legal, and social aspects of the use of technology in healthcare. The goal of this class is to show how health informatics can improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and safety of healthcare delivery by utilizing technology, information, and data to support clinical decision-making, patient engagement, and population health management.

Explores the challenges and possible solutions to ensure the interoperability between health information systems, representation of health data using standardized vocabulary and standards of communication. Topics include data standards and semantics, ontologies such as FHIR, UMLS, SEMNET, ICD-9/10, RXNorn, SNOMED, policy, and theory and practice of standardization. Additionally, this course analyzes the challenges confronting healthcare leaders in a new era characterized by economic incentives and changing relationships between providers, payers and purchasers, new delivery models and payment mechanisms, and advances in clinical integration, information technology, and quality improvement. Explores leadership strategies required for achieving financial stability while delivering greater value.

This course explores the US. Health System focusing on historical development, current configuration, payer provider relationships, politics of healthcare, and possible future directions. Includes study of healthcare system architecture, key influencers, accessibility, financing, changing components and the effects of the system on patients, providers, financers, government, insurers, and society. Role of population health management and public health is explored, including impact of social, cultural, economic, and environmental factors on health care systems and practices.

Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor

Reading and/or research in a selected field. An approved title for the independent study must be submitted with the registration forms. Prerequisite: permission of the chair of the department. A maximum of 6 credits may be applied to a degree program. (1-6 credits)

Prerequisites: HIFX 500, HIFX 501, HIFX 502, BIFX 503, BIFX 530, BIFX 551 or permission of instructor

This course provides a practical, hands-on experiential learning opportunity for Health Informatics MS students and emphasizes experimental design and biological interpretation of results. Students will utilize a wide variety of concepts and skills that they have learned throughout previous courses to complete an original research project from start to finish. Over the course of the semester, students will share their questions and insights during frequent “lab meeting” style presentations and will work both independently and collaboratively to complete their projects. They will present their work in the form of a well annotated script that contains all of the code necessary to complete the project, a brief paper describing the project in paragraph form, and a final poster presentation of their results. Students are encouraged to collaborate with their employer or an outside laboratory to propose a project to the course instructor during the first week of class. Alternatively, project ideas and data will be provided by the instructor.

Prerequisite: Completion of 15 credits and permission of the instructor

This course is designed to provide health informatics professionals with a working knowledge and practical application of the topics covered in HIFX courses. The students will apply current research and accepted practices of HIFX field in a variety of professional settings and will perform work supervised by both a professional advisor and a Hood advisor. Based on the description for the external position, students will craft an appropriate research/professional plan, in consultation with their Hood advisor. This course will help students synthesize previous concepts and training as they transition to the role of a professional. This course counts as an elective toward degree completion.

A special topics course may be offered either within a single department or on an interdepartmenal basis.  The content and methods of such courses depend upon the interests of the faculty and students.