Health Informatics

Department
Degree name
Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics
Sections

Mission

The Bachelors of Science in Health Informatics program ensures that all graduates are fully prepared for a career in health informatics using technology to improve the patient experience of care, to improve the health of populations, and to reduce the cost of health care for all.

Major Description

The Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics offers undergraduate students the foundation and theories they will need to use advances in technology to improve health and healthcare knowledge, practice, and outcomes. Students will develop expertise and insight in many areas, including healthcare quality, database management, project management, leadership, and finance. Students will apply these skills in a cumulative practical experience at the end of their program.

The Bachelor in Health Informatics is a degree-completion program comprising the equivalent of 60 credit hours delivered in a Competency-Based Education format. To be eligible for admission to the program, students must have completed 60 credit hours, either in individual credits or a conferred associate or baccalaureate degree, including 20 credit hours of general education coursework.  The program consists of 120 competencies designed to comprehensively prepare students for a career in Health Informatics by teaching the skills at the core of health informatics as well as a deep understanding of the processes and theories underlying those skills. Students earn one-half credit hour upon completion of each competency, culminating in the completion of the bachelor’s degree.  Students must demonstrate mastery of each competency in order to earn their degree.

Curricular Requirements

The Healthcare Landscape

301.1

Define key historic influences on healthcare delivery and the impact that has on the evolution of healthcare today.

301.2

Summarize major moments in the historical formation, and the current organization, of health institutions and of the overall health system in the US.

301.3

Outline the impact of laws, regulation and accreditation on the American healthcare system

301.4

Examine and differentiate between the disciplines of public health and population health

301.5

Summarize the needs of underserved populations

301.6

Describe current trends in healthcare delivery to include value-based purchasing, nationwide interoperability, telehealth and patient engagement

Introduction to Health Informatics

302.1
Summarize the history and theories of Health Informatics
302.2

Describe the elements of health informatics history

302.3
Articulate understanding of technology applications commonly used in healthcare
302.4

Research and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the major components of Electronic Health Records (EHR)

302.5
Describe the concept of consumer informatics and the impact they have on consumers
302.6

Describe the professional organizations and disciplines central to Health Informatics

Health Information Technology

303.1
Explain the function of basic computer hardware components
303.2

Describe the different types of software and operating systems commonly used in healthcare

303.3
Describe the structure and function of computer networks, especially those used in delivering health care
303.4
Describe the relationships between the internet and the World Wide Web, also considering HTTP and HTML
303.5
Define what a database is, explain what querying languages are, and identify commonly used database systems
303.6
Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of common ways computers are used to support collaboration, networking, and information exchange in health care

Healthcare Quality, Pro-CSS Improvement and the Triple Aim

304.1
Outline the history and fundamental concepts of healthcare quality and measurements in different healthcare settings
304.2

Assess findings from quality reviews of reported events to design and implement system improvements through root cause analysis

304.3
Prepare examples of performance improvement concepts, including tools like LEAN, process mapping and gap analysis work
304.4

Critically analyze the workflow processes in a selected healthcare setting to determine their effectiveness

304.5

Debates the advantages, disadvantages, and efficacy of common quality improvement concepts and the role of public policy as a driver of improvement including financial incentives in public reporting

304.6

Propose ways which quality improvement methods, tools and Health IT can be applied to improve health outcomes as directed by the Triple Aim

Database Systems

305.1
Identify basic concepts of data, databases, and data management.
305.2
Constructs a relational model of data.
305.3
Acquire basic comprehension of SQL concepts.
305.4
Describe appropriate strategies to normalize data.
305.5
Demonstrates an understanding of the concepts involved analytical processing.
305.6
Provide examples of storage technologies.

Data Management

306.1
Analyze information needs of customers across healthcare organizations
306.2
Analyze the relationship between healthcare applications and clinical classifications and coding
306.3
Apply knowledge of dictionary interconnectivity meet organizational needs
306.4
Propose clinical indices/databases/registries
306.5
Analyze the importance of data governance to facilitate and manage the quality of your organization's health data
306.6

Advocate for the operability and exchange of health information

Healthcare Law and Policy

307.1

Discuss laws and regulations applicable to healthcare

307.2
Analyze legal concepts and principles to the practice of HIM
307.3
Appraise current laws and standards related to health information initiatives
307.4

Summarize the fundamental elements of a Corporate compliance program

307.5

Compare and contrast the effects policy-making has had on domestic and global healthcare delivery systems

307.6
Comply with ethical standards of practice

Statistics for Health Informatics

308.1
Apply fundamental statistical concepts and application in healthcare today
308.2
Demonstrate examples of a variety of statistical methods
308.3
Explain how to organize, manage and present data
308.4
Produce and interpret graphical summaries of data
308.5
Give examples of the properties of the normal curve
308.6
Illustrate the relationship between two quantitative variables

Health IT Security and Privacy

309.1
Analyze privacy, security and confidentiality policies and procedures for internal and external use and exchange of health information
309.2
Distinguish the security and privacy implications specific to mobile health technologies
309.3
Recommend elements included in the design of audit trails and data quality monitoring programs
309.4
Collaborate in the design and implementation of risk assessment, contingency planning, and data recovery procedures
309.5
Create policies and procedures to manage access and disclosure of personal health information & Protect electronic health information through confidentiality and security measures, policies and procedures
309.6
Develop educational programs for employees in privacy, security, and confidentiality

Networking, Web Architecture and Health Information Exchanges

310.1
Identifies the basic concepts and principles of networking systems in healthcare
310.2
Create examples of effective web architecture
310.3
Outline the technology fundamentals of how Health Information exchanges pass information from one system to another
310.4
List and explain the standard languages used to successfully transmit healthcare data to another entity
310.5
Construct a debate on the Legal and ethical dilemma is exchanging data.  Who's data is it anyway?
310.6
Summarize the Challenges and Barriers to a HIN

Usability and Human Factors

401.1
Articulate a systems approach to usability and human factors as it applies to health information technology.
401.2
Identify the consequences of suboptimal design in the delivery of healthcare.
401.3
Apply methods of cognitive research, sources of usability evidence, and principles of user-centered design to decisions regarding systems evaluation, technology evaluation, and iterative design, given a population of users.
401.4
Demonstrate concept knowledge of cognition and human performance models in their relevance to systems evaluation methods.
401.5
Apply principles of usability and design to critiquing ER systems and to making recommendations for iterative improvement.
401.6
Describe the impact of usability concepts on mobile and ubiquitous computer in healthcare.

Consumer, Mobile and Public Health Informatics

402.1

Apply knowledge of basic concepts of Consumer Health Informatics (CHI)

402.2

Analyze how CHI application meets needs for a chosen healthcare domain.

402.3

Analyze the Design and Usability of currently available Consumer Health Applications

402.4

Analyze the relationship between big data and social media-based consumer healthcare applications, and its effect on healthcare consumers.

402.5
Defend the rationale for moving forward with mobile technology and the impact on those with limited access to technology
402.6

Create a model for future technology to improve the healthcare consumer applications currently available to consumers

Evidence-Based Practice and Decision Support

403.1
Examine the foundation between of evidence-based practice and how informatics contributes to health care decision making
403.2
Describe how informatics techniques facilitate healthcare decision-making.
403.3
Extract healthcare data to support evidence-based practice decision making.
403.4
Evaluate administrative reports using appropriate software
403.5
Evaluate analytical results to facilitate decision-making
403.6
Select data and research to support decision making using evidence-based healthcare, clinical practice guidelines and/or standards of care.

Leadership Roles

404.1

Choose between leadership styles using contemporary leadership theory and principles

404.2
Apply personnel management skills
404.3

Engage in effective professional communication

404.4
Demonstrate effective negotiating and use influencing skills
404.5

Use team and leadership theory to fix teams from within

404.6
Develop and build effective teams

Healthcare Finance

405.1
Comprehend concepts of financial information and how decisions and strategy are based on analysis
405.2
Apply concepts of the complex payer system in US healthcare
405.3
Demonstrate understanding of basic accounting concepts
405.4
Explain healthcare purchasing concepts
405.5
Deconstruct the details of healthcare expense management
405.6
Summarize the legal and regulatory requirements of healthcare finance

Information System Lifecycle

406.1
Analyze the technology needs of an organization
406.2

Select an effective technology tool using industry standards

406.3

Customize processes involving the tool to fit organizational needs

406.4

Support and maintain technology solutions in healthcare

406.5

Analyze the effectiveness of the technology by testing and evaluating processes

406.6

Create and communicate an effective training program

Data Analytics and Visualization

407.1
Describe the limitations of datasets
407.2
Create, manipulate and analyze healthcare datasets
407.3
Translate clinical outcome data into graphical representations
407.4
Create visual communication of data and information (e.g... Tableau)
407.5
Illustrate how Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are used in understanding population health
407.6
Educate consumers on patient-centered health information technologies

Strategic and Organizational Management

408.1
Identify the different types of organizations, services, and personnel and their interrelationships across the health care delivery system
408.2
Apply general principles of management in the administration of health information services
408.3
Facilitate the use of enterprise-wide information assets to support organizational strategies and objectives
408.4
Identify departmental and organizational survey readiness for accreditation, licensing and/or certification processes
408.5
Implement a departmental strategic plan
408.6
Collaborate in the development and implementation of information governance initiatives

Project Management

409.1
Propose a project and identify tools used in project management
409.2
Demonstrate workflow concepts
409.3
Survey the effectiveness of differing project management strategies
409.4
Construct performance management measures
409.5
Analyze workflow processes and responsibilities to meet organizational needs
409.6
Evaluate project management techniques to ensure efficient workflow and outcomes

Informatics Practicum

410.1
TBD
410.2
TBD
410.3
TBD
410.4
TBD
410.5
TBD
410.6
TBD

Academic and Technical Standards

All students must pass all 120 competencies outlined in the program to be considered for graduation. Students complete 100% of their work online utilizing the Motivis Learning Management System (LMS).