Healthcare Information Systems

Course Description

Effective data and information technology utilization to improve performance in healthcare organizations: including information systems, databases and analytical tools to structure, analyze and present information; legal and ethical issues affecting management of healthcare information.

Learning Outcomes

• Describe the evolution of information technology and its uses in healthcare management and delivery.
• Analyze current and future trends in the application of information technology to the healthcare industry.
• Relate the use of data and enabling information technologies in strategic management, financial management, clinical outcomes management and public health/population management.
• Evaluate the roles of information system applications common in healthcare organization and integrated delivery systems: including administrative systems/programs (e.g., financial; scheduling; on-line purchasing; productivity; human resources); clinical systems/programs (e.g., electronic medical records; medical decision support; diagnostic information systems); physician practice management systems (e.g., billing; referral/authorization; claims processing; electronic medical records; prescription writing; productivity; transcription); and health informatics (e.g., coding; communication standards; data standards).
• Conduct an information technology needs assessment of a healthcare organizational unit.
• Diagram the information systems lifecycle and the process and critical issues related to identifying information and systems requirements and designing, developing, testing, implementing and evaluating information systems in healthcare settings.
• Conduct an analysis to justify the cost of new information technology systems, including the calculation of return on investment for information technology projects in health related organizations.
• Demonstrate intermediate knowledge of application software; including spreadsheets; e-mail; word processing; database management.
• Analyze and synthesize the legal and ethical issues related to health information management and the use of information technology in healthcare management and clinical practice; including privacy, confidentiality and security issues (e.g., HIPAA; Medical Records).
• Work as a teammate and leader in projects involving information technology personnel.

Prerequisites

• HCA620