Contemporary Issues in Health Informatics

Course details

Assessment
Course assessment will be in the form of a three thousand word essay, submitted by email.

Course 1: Trends in Health Care
The overall purpose of this course is to acquaint you with some of the key areas developing in Health Informatics. Each subject contains core information, links to resources provided on the accompanying CD-ROM as well as links to the World Wide Web. The course covers: the increasing proportion of the aged in the population, the use and changing consumer expectations of health services and the rapid increase in new services, global connectivity and the growing importance of evidence based medicine in healthcare

Course 2: Evaluation Methodologies
As health care costs continue to spiral upward, health care institutions are under increasing pressure from purchasers and payers of services to create a cost-effective system costs while maintaining quality of care and service. Information systems are being marketed for health care organisations to provide management information, control costs, and facilitate total quality management and continuous quality improvement programs. This course is designed to introduce the reasons for conducting health evaluation - the 'why' of evaluation. We look at an overview of research vs. evaluation, study design, research methods and measurement procedures in a healthcare environment.

Course 3: Internet Technologies
This course deals with the Internet and its relevance, use and application in health informatics. The history, current developments and future of this global computer network will be described in some detail, it's implications to health care and impact on social and societal structures will also be discussed. Lastly, you will review and evaluate the importance of the Internet to teaching and continuing education for healthcare professional