Health Care Processes and Information Systems, 5 cr

The purpose of the course is to give students a general understanding of applying ICT technologies in the area of health care, with focus on the special needs placed for information management in this area. Course aims to provide students first a basic understanding of health care processes and health care systems: how they are managed, organized and funded in Finland and in other countries. After this the course presents the specifics of health information, how it is utilized in health information systems, what are the key standards and how they are utilized in building health information systems. Course is intended especially for students who are planning to work in the health care domain, either in research and development or in managerial roles.

The key learning outcomes of the course are applied in practice in a multidisciplinary project work done based on themes proposed by industry. Project work is evaluated 0-5 and it forms ~45% of the course grade.

Core content

• The health care process, measures utilized in it and basic governance models
• Key principles of health information and standards
• Introduction to terminology, concepts and and architectures of health ICT systems, with special focus on electronic patient record. KANTA is used as an example
• User-centered health ICT development process description
• Project work

Complementary knowledge

• Detailed analysis of the Finnish health care funding model.
• Operations management principles: planning of demand and supply.
  
• Key pitfalls in health ICT development. Case studies of health ICT development.
• Multidisciplinary team work: practical experience.
• Communication tools for project work. Collaboration with the industry partners.

Specialist knowledge

• Comparison of health care governance and funding models in diffrent countries.
  
• US health care governance.
  
• Diagnostic process.
  
• Management framework tools.