Health Information Technology Workforce Development
Course Content
Technical/ Software Support Curriculum Course Content
Introduction to Healthcare Information and Computer Science: For students without an IT background, provides a basic overview of computer architecture; data organization, representation and structure; structure of programming languages; networking and data communication. Includes basic terminology of computing.
Working with Health IT Systems: A laboratory component. Students will work with simulated systems or real systems with simulated data. As they play the role of practitioners using these systems, they will learn what is happening “under the hood.” They will experience threats to security and appreciate the need for standards, high levels of usability, and how errors can occur. Materials must support hands-on experience in computer labs and on-site in health organizations.
Installation and Maintenance of Health IT Systems: Instruction in installation and maintenance of health IT systems, including testing prior to implementation. Introduction to principles underlying configuration. Materials must support hands-on experience in computer labs and on-site in health organizations.
Networking and Health Information Exchange: More in-depth analysis of data mobility including the hardware infrastructure (wires, wireless, and devices supporting them), the ISO stack, standards, Internet protocol, federations and grids, the NHIN and other nationwide approaches.
Configuring EHRs: A practical experience with a laboratory component, addressing approaches to assessing, selecting, and configuring EHRs to meet the specific needs of customers and end-users.
Special Topics Course on Vendor-Specific Systems: Provides an overview of the most popular vendor systems highlighting the features of each as they would relate to practical deployments, and noting differences between the systems.
Professionalism/Customer Service in the Health Environment: Development of skills necessary to communicate effectively across the full range of roles that will be encountered in health care and public health settings.
Health Information Technology Trainer Curriculum Course Content
Introduction to Health Care and Public Health in the U.S. A survey of how health care and public health are organized and services delivered in the U.S. Covers public policy, relevant organizations and their interrelationships, professional roles, legal and regulatory issues, and payment systems. Must also address health reform initiatives in the U.S.
The Culture of Health Care: For individuals not familiar with health care, this course addresses job expectations in health care settings. It will discuss how care is organized inside a practice setting, privacy laws, and professional and ethical issues encountered in the workplace.
Introduction to Healthcare Information and Computer Science: For students without an IT background, provides a basic overview of computer architecture; data organization, representation and structure; structure of programming languages; networking and data communication. Includes basic terminology of computing.
Health Management Information Systems: A “theory” component, specific to health care and public health applications. Introduction to health IT standards, health-related data structures, software applications; enterprise architecture in health care and public health organizations.
Usability and Human Factors: Discussion of rapid prototyping, user-centered design and evaluation, usability; understanding effects of new technology and workflow on downstream processes; facilitation of a unit-wide focus group or simulation.
Professionalism/Customer Service in the Health Environment: Development of skills necessary to communicate effectively across the full range of roles that will be encountered in health care and public health settings.
Training and Instructional Design: Overview of learning management systems, instructional design software tools, teaching techniques and strategies, evaluation of learner competencies, maintenance of training records, and measurement of training program effectiveness.
Practice Workflow and Information Management Curriculum Course Content
Introduction to Healthcare Information and Computer Science: For students without an IT background, provides a basic overview of computer architecture; data organization, representation, and structure; structure of programming languages; networking and data communication. Includes basic terminology of computing.
Health Management Information Systems: A "theory" component, specific to health care and public health applications. Introduction to health IT standards, health-related data structures, software applications; enterprise architecture in health care and public health organizations.
Fundamentals of Health Workflow Process Analysis & Redesign: Fundamentals of health workflow process analysis and redesign as a necessary component of complete practice automation; includes topics of process validation and change management.
Quality Improvement: Introduces the concepts of health IT and practice workflow redesign as instruments of quality improvement. Addresses establishing a culture that supports increased quality and safety. Discusses approaches to assessing patient safety issues and implementing quality management and reporting through electronic systems.
Usability and Human Factors: Discussion of rapid prototyping, user-centered design and evaluation, usability; understanding effects of new technology and workflow on downstream processes; facilitation of a unit-wide focus group or simulation.
The Culture of Health Care: For individuals not familiar with health care, this course addresses job expectations in health care settings. It will discuss how care is organized inside a practice setting, privacy laws, and professional and ethical issues encountered in the workplace.
Terminology in Health Care and Public Health Settings: Explanation of specific terminology used by workers in health care and public health. Note that this is NOT a course in data representation or standards.
