Course Objectives

In this new era of managed care, with its emphasis on improving cost efficiency without risking quality of care, information technology has emerged as a powerful force in helping to achieve multiple goals within health care organizations. The explosive advances in information technology in recent years combined with the current climate for health care reform has created the need for skilled individuals who can develop, understand, manage, and integrate medical and administrative information systems in organizations. This course will provide a broad overview of the application of major information systems methodologies and approaches in the delivery and administration of modern health care systems. The development and use of imaging applications, electronic data interchange, integrated delivery systems, artificial intelligence and expert medical systems, decision support systems, and internet based applications in the context of the computerized patient record will be the major focus of the course.

The specific goals of the course are:

1. To understand the historical context for today's health care information systems.
   
2. To get a broad overview of the major enabling information technologies that can significantly impact the delivery and administration of health care.
   
3. To understand the major players, problems, issues and challenges facing the healthcare industry and the role of information technology in enhancing quality of care while controlling the costs of providing it.
   
4. To develop a perspective on appropriate strategies and architectures for health care information systems.