Master of Science in Healthcare Informatics(HS) 2023-2024 Edition

HS 501. Introduction to Healthcare Informatics. 3 Credit Hours.

This course introduces students to health informatics, the field devoted to the optimal use of data, information, and knowledge to advance individual health, health care, public health, and health-related research. The course provides an overview of the theory, processes, and applications of information systems and how they relate to health policy and management. It also provides a basic understanding of data standards and requirements, and the critical concepts and practice in mapping and interpreting health information.

Fall 2023HS 501DG1794T1:00pm - 4:00pm(N. Qamar)
Spring 2024HS 501DG3679W2:00pm - 5:00pm(N. Qamar)

HS 510. Population Health. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is intended to serve as an introduction to population health from both the vantage point of both public health and healthcare. We will examine the key components of community health needs assessments, how they are used, and how to compare population health assessments across subpopulations and time. Understanding health on a population level is an approach that seeks to improve the health of the whole population, unravel variations in health outcomes, and to identify effective strategies for reducing or eliminating inequities. The epidemiological sources and criteria by which to select high quality data sources will be explored to estimate population health indicators and to select evidence-based interventions to improve overall health of the population.
Corequisites: HS 501.

Spring 2024HS 510DG3666T2:00pm - 5:00pm(N. Qamar)

HS 520. Healthcare Law, Privacy, and Ethics. 3 Credit Hours.

In this course, students are provided opportunities to learn and apply knowledge of legal and ethical expectations on healthcare organizations and behaviors. Students are introduced to the major laws, regulations, professional and ethical principles, and industry standards governing health care structure, delivery, and reimbursement, as applied in health services management. Students will evaluate current healthcare issues and how health reform will affect healthcare organizations.
Pre/Corequisites: HS 501.

HS 530. Healthcare Operations and Systems. 3 Credit Hours.

Healthcare is a comprised of a complex ecosystem of stakeholders that must collaborate effectively given the limited resources to support the structure. Technology is continuously evolving how healthcare is delivered and, in the process, bringing together all of these groups of people to work together. This course examines the operations of the entire healthcare sector and its management, including the role of strategic planning and governance, clinical and nonclinical support services, quality improvement, environment-of-care and facilities management, personnel and staffing, finance, information technology, and marketing.
Pre/Corequisites: HS 501.

HS 610. Electronic Health Records. 3 Credit Hours.

In this course students will understand the health IT ecosystem with a focus on the role of electronic health records (EHRs). This course also includes an introduction to database architecture, servers, and interfaces. In addition, students will understand the implementation and management of electronic health information using common electronic data interchange systems and maintaining the medical, legal, accreditation and regulatory requirements of the electronic health record.
Prerequisites: HS 501.

Fall 2023HS 610DG1795W1:00pm - 4:00pm(N. Qamar)

HS 620. Data Visualization and Communication. 3 Credit Hours.

This focuses on data visualization and the techniques to implement efficient and effective visualizations. The challenges of storytelling using visualizations will be emphasized. In addition, students will be exposed to communication techniques and skills required of them to effectively communicate complex data to multiple stakeholders in the healthcare field.
Prerequisites: HS 501.

HS 630. Health Analytics (R, Python, Tableau). 3 Credit Hours.

Modernization and achieving innovation at scale are a critical imperative for healthcare. This course provides an in-depth look at the principles and techniques for acquisition and preparation of data used for analysis and modeling in the healthcare industry. The first component of the course uses Python to perform simple statistical analysis, prepare data for modeling, and create basic visualizations from the data. The second component of the course introduces students to R language and the use of tableau so that students are prepared to analyze and process data in order to create actionable insights to transform healthcare.
Prerequisites: HS 501.

HS 640. Project Management. 3 Credit Hours.

Knowing how to manage projects effectively is an essential skill for health informaticians. In this course, students will be introduced to the standard terminology in project management and serves to provide an overview of management and leadership in health care. This course provides students the opportunity to practice a key role of leadership: transforming organizational culture by effective implementation of change.
Prerequisites: HS 501.

Spring 2024HS 640DG3667Th2:00pm - 5:00pmTBD

HS 645. Evidenced Based Decision Making. 3 Credit Hours.

Proper analysis and utilization of healthcare data can drive improvements in our healthcare system. Evidence-based decision-making is a process that emphasizes making decisions based on explicit, purposeful, and judicious use of evidence. This course develops skills for students to be able to determine validity, applicability, and significance of published clinical data for potential application in optimizing patient care.
Prerequisites: HS 501.

HS 650. Database Management for Healthcare. 3 Credit Hours.

Students are introduced to categories of data collected and maintained by healthcare providers. Students are exposed to technologies used in the acquisition, delivery, and critical analysis of health data. The course emphasizes the use of electronic health records, data mining, statistical analysis of data, data management, report generation and presentation of data.
Prerequisites: HS 501.

HS 655. Data Mining/Machine Learning. 3 Credit Hours.

Machine learning (ML) is a fast-growing field and health informatics remains a great challenge for machine learning experts. The goal of ML is to develop algorithms which can learn and improve over time and can be used for predictions. This course introduces students to techniques used in machine learning and data mining and applies it to the healthcare sector.
Prerequisites: HS 501.

HS 690. Healthcare Informatics Capstone. 3 Credit Hours.

Capstone course provides students with the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills that they have acquired to realistic problems that involve large data sets in the healthcare industry. Students will participate in a one-semester internship with one of our community partners or prepare a thesis paper using available health data. Students will present the results of their analysis and recommendations to other students in the class and if appropriate to the client. Students are expected to create a professional presentation of their work and to deliver it confidently.
Pre/Corequisites: HS 520, HS 530
Prerequisites: HS 501.

HS 691. Healthcare Informatics Internship. 3 Credit Hours.

This internship is a practical learning experience that allows students to gain real world experience and develop professionally by working with a healthcare partner under the guidance of leaders in the fields of healthcare informatics and healthcare information technology. This experience affords the student an opportunity to apply her/his theoretical knowledge and technical skills in a real-world setting, allowing him/her to gain valuable training and insight, which will better equip the student to perform more confidently in the workforce.
Pre/Corequisites: HS 520, HS 530, HS 610, HS 630
Prerequisites: HS 501.