Health Information Systems

IS415

Half/ full unit

Half

Dr T Cornford, Room NAB 3.29
Dr E Klecun, Room NAB 3.37

Optional for students on MSc ADMIS, MSc International Health Policy, MSc Health Policy, Planning and Financing, MSc Health, Population and Society, and MSc Health Economics, Policy and Management (Modular). The course is also available as an outside option where regulations permit and with permission of the course coordinator.

Students should have an appreciation of information management and systems development and implementation issues, and some understanding of healthcare systems. A brief introduction to both areas will be given to those without relevant background.

This course introduces the principal issues faced by healthcare policy makers, and healthcare organizations as they plan for and introduce substantial healthcare information systems to support administrative and clinical activities. The course addresses the aims and ambitions associated with healthcare information systems, as well as the problems and pitfalls that occur.

The course is organised as follows:

• A survey of the history of computer-based systems in healthcare and some comparison with other sectors.
• The evolution and state of the art in information systems in the primary and secondary sectors with international comparisons.
• ICT and the development of healthcare policy.
• Assessing ICT’s transformative potential and relevant policy ambitions.
• Issues of systems implementation.
• The electronic patient record and national information infrastructures for health.
• Computers and medicines management.
• Telehealth and telecare.
• Issues of evaluation and building of an evidence base.

Lent term

Lectures

2 x 2 hours

Lent term

Seminars

9 x 2 hours

Lent term

Project essay workshops

2 x 2 hours

Students will complete one formative essay. The assessed project essay will also be supported by workshops in which formative feedback will be given.

• Berg, M. (2004) Health Information Management: Integrating Information Technology in Health Care Work, Routledge, London.
• Bloomfield, B. P. (2000) Information Technology and Organisations: Strategies, Networks, and Integration, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
• Brennan, S. (2005) The NHS IT Project: The Biggest Computer Programme in the World...Ever, Radcliffe, Oxford.
• Coiera, E. (2003) Guide to Health Informatics (Second Edition), Arnold, London.
• Friedman, C. and J. Wyatt (1997) Evaluation Methods in Medical Informatics, Springer Verlag, New York.
• Sheaff, R. and V. Peel (1995) Managing Health Service Information Systems: An Introduction, Open University Press, Buckingham.
• Taylor, P. (2006) From Patient Data to Medical Knowledge: The Principles and Practice of Health Informatics, BMJ Books, London.
• Timmermans, S. and M. Berg (2003) The Gold Standard: The Challenge of Evidence Based Medicine and the Standardization of Health Care, Temple University Press, Philadelphia.
• Wootton, R. (2006) An Introduction to Telemedicine. 2nd Ed., Royal Society of Medicine Press Ltd, London.

One 3,000 word project essay.