Health and IT Faculty Development. The Health Information Technology Course
Introduction
The Health Information Technology course offers a variety of topics that build understanding about HIT. The course presentation is based on modules created for the Carnegie Mellon University/Stanford University Open Learning Initiative (OLI).
Working Your Way Through The Course
Check out the course module topics and select modules within each that interest you. Each module topic includes one or more modules. Each module includes online lectures and activities such as videos and Learn by Doing and Did I Get This practices to enhance your understanding of health information technology (HIT).
As you finish a module, you can assess your learning by taking the quiz at the end of the module.
Five module topics contain modules linked to OLI pages that provide an interactive learning experience.
The goal of this course is to provide Health and IT faculty with information and resources regarding Health Information Technology (HIT) and with ideas for incorporating HIT content into their courses.
Course Objectives:
- Describe various HIT applications used in healthcare today (Module Topic 1- HIT Applications)
- Describe the unique characteristics of the healthcare environment (Module Topic 2 – The Healthcare Environment)
- Recognize privacy and security considerations to be made with regard to HIT (Module Topic 3 – Privacy and Security)
- Explain the impact HIT has on healthcare (Module Topic 4 – The Impact of HIT on Healthcare)
- Describe the basic technological requirements for effective use of HIT (Module Topic 5 – The Technology Behind HIT)
- Recognize the various standards and requirements for effective implementation of HIT solutions (Module Topic 5 – Standards and Requirements)
- Apply information learned in this course toward creating HIT activities, discussion questions, and assessments in health and IT courses.
Health IT Applications
Unit 3 Modules
- Module 7: Health IT Applications (est. 2.5 hours)
- Module 8: Electronic Health and Medical Records (est. 3.5 hours)
- Module 9: Clinical and Financial Applications (est. 5.0 hours)
- Module 10: Consumer Health informatics (est. 2.5 hours)
Healthcare Environment
Unit 2 Modules
- Module 3: Healthcare Delivery Organizations (est. 6.0 hours)
- Module 4: Healthcare Payment Systems (est. 5.0 hours)
- Module 5: Roles of Healthcare Professionals (est. 5.5 hours)
- Module 6: Government Regulation (est. 4.0 hours)
Privacy & Security
Unit 7 Modules
- Module 24: Privacy, Security Policies, and Compliance (est. 2.0 hours)
- Module 25: IT Security Principles and Strategies (est. 2.0 hours)
- Module 26: Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity (est. 3.5 hours)
Impact of Health IT on Healthcare
Unit 8 Modules
- Module 28: Quality Standards (est. 5.0 hours)
HIT Technology, Standards, and Requirements
Unit 3 Modules
- Module 11: Systems Architecture and Components (est. 5.0 hours)
- Module 12: Healthcare Data Exchanges and Standards (est. 3.5 hours)
Getting Started – Sign Up & Login Instructions
The Stanford OLI content used in this course resides on the Stanford OLI site. To access it, you must sign up for a free Stanford OLI account. Once you have an account, you can access the course materials here. Each time you enter this course you will need to go to the Login page to log in before accessing the modules.
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Module 1 – Health IT Applications
This module topic provides a broad overview of health information technology (HIT or health IT) applications, including current emphases and trends. It presents a high-level discussion of the factors driving implementation of HIT applications. Even though many HIT professionals may specialize in a specific area of the field, it is critical for them to have a broad understanding of the HIT landscape because an increasing number of once disparate applications are being integrated into the overall system.
Instructions
LOG IN to access the Stanford OLI content if this is your first module for this session.
- Review the Stanford OLI module(s) that interest you.
- Practice the Learn by Doing and Did I Get This activities in the module.
- Take the Stanford OLI module quiz to assess your level of understanding.
Stanford OLI Modules in this Module Topic
Module 2 – Healthcare Environment
This module topic provides an overview of the healthcare environment. Understanding the US healthcare industry seems like a daunting task, but “Healthcare Delivery Organizations” is a good starting point. It describes the healthcare delivery system—how it is organized, what type of healthcare services are available at what type of facility, the patient populations those facilities serve, and how the facilities are administrated. As you learn about healthcare delivery, think about ways that health information technology supports this complex system.
Instructions
LOG IN to access the Stanford OLI content if this is your first module for this session.
- Review the Stanford OLI module(s) that interest you.
- Practice the Learn by Doing and Did I Get This activities in the module.
- Take the Stanford OLI module quiz to assess your level of understanding.
Stanford OLI Modules in this Module Topic
Module 3 – Privacy & Security
This module topic offers an overview of issues related to security and privacy. Protection of health information began as optional recommendations by the US Department of Health and Human Services and evolved into the requirements mandated by federal law today. The most important regulations regarding health information are HIPAA and the HITECH Act. Violations of these regulations can result in serious penalties, although some exceptions are allowed for public health agencies in an effort to balance the rights of individuals with protecting the health of the general population.
Instructions
LOG IN to access the Stanford OLI content if this is your first module for this session.
- Review the Stanford OLI module(s) that interest you.
- Practice the Learn by Doing and Did I Get This activities in the module.
- Take the Stanford OLI module quiz to assess your level of understanding.
Stanford OLI Modules in this Module Topic
Module 4 – The Impact of Health IT on Healthcare
This module topic explores the effect of health IT on healthcare. A critical relationship exists between healthcare quality and health information technology (HIT) in advancing the quality of healthcare. Quality standards and performance measures can be applied to health information systems to both assess and improve health quality. HIT professionals can help establish, monitor, and report performance measures and key performance indicators.
Instructions
LOG IN to access the Stanford OLI content if this is your first module for this session.
- Review the Stanford OLI module(s) that interest you.
- Practice the Learn by Doing and Did I Get This activities in the module.
- Take the Stanford OLI module quiz to assess your level of understanding.
Stanford OLI Modules in this Module Topic
Module 5 – HIT Technology, Standards and Requirements
This module topic includes two sections: an introduction to the general architecture of health IT and a look at how health information is exchanged.
The first two modules include a brief overview of computer hardware, software, and network technology; Web services; and data storage. In-house architecture is contrasted with outside applications and service providers offering remote hosting. Medical and point-of-care devices that interact with information systems are discussed along with issues of connectivity and interoperability.
The third module looks at how health information is exchanged, a major focus throughout the healthcare industry today and one that will remain so for the foreseeable future. Health information technology (HIT) professionals are the hands-on experts who are making electronic health information exchange (HIE) happen in an increasingly standardized fashion.
Instructions
LOG IN to access the Stanford OLI content if this is your first module for this session.
- Review the Stanford OLI module(s) that interest you.
- Practice the Learn by Doing and Did I Get This activities in the module.
- Take the Stanford OLI module quiz to assess your level of understanding.