Health Informatics for better and safer healthcare from edX

Healthcare providers around the globe (e.g., doctors, nurses, physical or occupational therapists, etc.) are increasingly relying on health information technology, like electronic health records, for their daily routine tasks. Although using health information technology holds tremendous promises (like personalized and precision medicine to all) it can also result in unforeseen consequences leading to patients’ harm. To fulfill the promise of better and safer carethrough information technology, health providers need to learn about the existing systems design and capabilities while technical experts (e.g., computer programmers) need to understand the complex healthcare needs and processes. This course aims to bridge the current gaps in health informatics education and introduce the major aspects of the field to novice and advanced clinical and technical audiences. Health & Safety, Medicine, Computer Science

What you'll learn

What kinds of careers are out there in Health Information Technology?

What are the core disciplines on which Health Information technology is built?

How does Clinical Decision Support work?

What is the Electronic Health Record comprised of, and how does it work?

What do we need Health Terminologies for?

How is Text and Data Mining used in Healthcare?

What type of Image Processing is used to make health imagery usable?

What happens when Health Information Systems have low usability?

How is patient’s safety warranted by Health Information Systems?

What's inside

Syllabus

This massive open online course (MOOC) aims to provide the diverse and international audience of health practitioners, students, managers, administrators, technical experts (e.g., computer programmers or user interface architects) and researchers with a survey of current and emerging health information technology trends.

The entire course covers 4 weeks divided into 11 modules. Completion certificates are issued on the basis of participation in all 11 modules and submission of a final project. Weekly commitment is estimated to be about 3 hours of learning and engaging in course related projects. The finalgrade for the course will be calculated based on submission of the weekly quizzes (100% of the grade).

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Explores core disciplines of Health Information Technology, including design, capabilities, and patient safety

Covers a wide range of topics, from clinical decision support to image processing, providing a comprehensive overview of the field

Suitable for both beginners and advanced learners in both clinical and technical fields, making it accessible to a diverse audience

Weekly quizzes contribute to the final grade, providing regular assessment and feedback on progress

May require additional resources for learners seeking a deeper understanding of specific topics, as coverage is broad

Taught by Maxim Topaz, an expert in health informatics, providing learners with access to industry knowledge

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Health Informatics for better and safer healthcare with these activities:

Review 'Introduction to Biomedical Data Science'

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Reviewing this foundational text will enhance understanding of core concepts.

View Introduction to Biomedical Data Science on Amazon

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Read the book.
Take notes on the key concepts.
Apply the concepts to a real-world healthcare scenario.

Review EHR Systems

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Reviewing common EHR systems will provide a background for course concepts.

Browse courses on Electronic Health Records

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Create a list of common EHR systems.
Identify the key features of each EHR system.
Compare and contrast the different EHR systems.

Practice Quizzes

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Completing practice quizzes will help prepare for the final exam.

Browse courses on Quizzes

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Find practice quizzes online or in the course materials.
Take the quizzes and review the answers.
Identify areas where you need more practice.

Five other activities

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Show all eight activities

Introduction to Clinical Decision Support Systems

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Following a tutorial on clinical decision support will enhance understanding of its benefits.

Browse courses on Clinical Decision Support Systems

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Find an online tutorial on clinical decision support systems.
Watch the tutorial and take notes.
Apply the concepts from the tutorial to a real-world healthcare scenario.

Peer Mentoring

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Mentoring peers will reinforce your understanding of course concepts.

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Find a peer who is struggling with the material.
Offer to help them understand the concepts.
Answer their questions and provide guidance.

Data Visualization Project

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Creating a data visualization will reinforce understanding of data analysis techniques.

Browse courses on Data Visualization

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Choose a dataset relevant to healthcare.
Clean and prepare the data.
Create a data visualization that represents the data in a meaningful way.
Write a brief report that explains the visualization and its implications.

Create a Course Summary

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Summarizing course materials will aid in retention and understanding.

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Review your notes, assignments, and quizzes.
Create a document that summarizes the key concepts of each module.
Review the summary regularly to reinforce your learning.

Volunteer at a Healthcare Organization

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Volunteering will provide practical experience in healthcare information technology.

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Find a volunteer opportunity at a healthcare organization.
Assist with tasks related to health information technology.
Network with healthcare professionals.

Career center

Learners who complete Health Informatics for better and safer healthcare will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Nurse Informatics Specialist

Nurse Informatics Specialists use their nursing knowledge and expertise to design, implement, and evaluate health information systems. This course provides a comprehensive overview of health information technology, including electronic health records, clinical decision support systems, and patient safety. With its focus on the complex healthcare needs and processes, this course can aid Nurse Informatics Specialists by providing a deep understanding of the systems they use and how to use them to improve patient care.

See salaries and explore the career path for Nurse Informatics Specialist

Registered Nurse

Registered Nurses provide care to patients in a variety of settings. This course provides a comprehensive overview of health information technology, including electronic health records, clinical decision support systems, and patient safety. With its focus on the complex healthcare needs and processes, this course can aid Registered Nurses by providing a deep understanding of the systems they use and how to use them to improve patient care.

See salaries and explore the career path for Registered Nurse

Health Information Manager

Health Information Managers design, implement, and maintain health information systems. This course provides a comprehensive overview of health information technology, including electronic health records, clinical decision support systems, and patient safety. With its focus on the complex healthcare needs and processes, this course can aid Health Information Managers by providing a deep understanding of the systems they manage.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health Information Manager

Medical Records Technician

Medical Records Technicians manage and maintain patient medical records. This course provides a comprehensive overview of health information technology, including electronic health records, clinical decision support systems, and patient safety. With its focus on the practical aspects of health information management, this course can aid Medical Records Technicians by providing a deep understanding of the systems they use.

See salaries and explore the career path for Medical Records Technician

Healthcare Administrator

Healthcare Administrators plan, direct, and coordinate healthcare services. This course provides a broad understanding of health information technology, including its impact on patient safety, usability, and workflow. With its emphasis on the challenges and opportunities of health information technology, this course can aid Healthcare Administrators by providing the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions about health information systems.

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Computer Programmer

Computer Programmers design, develop, test, and maintain computer programs. This course provides a comprehensive overview of health information technology, including electronic health records, clinical decision support systems, and patient safety. With its focus on the complex healthcare needs and processes, this course can aid Computer Programmers by showing how to tailor health information systems to the specific requirements of the healthcare industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Computer Programmer

Radiologic Technologist

Radiologic Technologists use X-rays and other imaging techniques to diagnose and treat medical conditions. This course provides a broad understanding of health information technology, including image processing and patient safety. With its focus on how to use health information to improve patient care, this course can aid Radiologic Technologists by providing the necessary healthcare context for their work.

See salaries and explore the career path for Radiologic Technologist

User Interface Designer

User Interface Designers design the interfaces for websites, software, and other electronic devices. This course provides a broad understanding of health information technology, including usability and patient safety. With its focus on the challenges and opportunities of designing user interfaces for healthcare applications, this course can aid User Interface Designers by providing the necessary healthcare context for their work.

See salaries and explore the career path for User Interface Designer

Pharmacist

Pharmacists dispense medications and provide information about their use. This course provides a broad understanding of health information technology, including electronic health records, clinical decision support systems, and patient safety. With its focus on how to use health information to improve patient care, this course can aid Pharmacists by providing the necessary healthcare context for their work.

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Respiratory Therapist

Respiratory Therapists help people who have difficulty breathing due to injury, illness, or disability. This course provides a broad understanding of health information technology, including clinical decision support systems and patient safety. With its focus on how to use health information to improve patient care, this course can aid Respiratory Therapists by providing the necessary healthcare context for their work.

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Occupational Therapist

Occupational Therapists help people who have difficulty performing everyday activities due to injury, illness, or disability. This course provides a broad understanding of health information technology, including electronic health records, clinical decision support systems, and patient safety. With its focus on how to use health information to improve patient care, this course can aid Occupational Therapists by providing the necessary healthcare context for their work.

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Physician Assistant

Physician Assistants provide medical care under the supervision of a physician. This course provides a broad understanding of health information technology, including electronic health records, clinical decision support systems, and patient safety. With its focus on how to use health information to improve patient care, this course can aid Physician Assistants by providing the necessary healthcare context for their work.

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Speech-Language Pathologist

Speech-Language Pathologists help people who have difficulty speaking, understanding language, or swallowing. This course provides a broad understanding of health information technology, including clinical decision support systems and patient safety. With its focus on how to use health information to improve patient care, this course can aid Speech-Language Pathologists by providing the necessary healthcare context for their work.

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Physical Therapist

Physical Therapists help people who have difficulty moving due to injury, illness, or disability. This course provides a broad understanding of health information technology, including electronic health records, clinical decision support systems, and patient safety. With its focus on how to use health information to improve patient care, this course can aid Physical Therapists by providing the necessary healthcare context for their work.

See salaries and explore the career path for Physical Therapist

Data Scientist

Data Scientists use statistical and analytical methods to extract meaningful insights from data. This course provides a broad understanding of health information technology, including text and data mining, image processing, and health terminologies. With its focus on how to use health information to improve patient care, this course can aid Data Scientists by providing the necessary healthcare context for their work.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist