10x10 with Utah: Course Description

Overall Objectives and Rationale

This course will introduce informatics students, clinicians, and public health practitioners to fundamental principles about standards and terminology and their importance for the exchange and meaningful use of health information. Use of standards are critical for interoperability and are required for the meaningful use of data, both for their primary use (e.g. in the clinical setting) as well as their secondary use for quality monitoring, public health reporting, decision support, and research and analysis. It is important for persons involved in the design, development, and use of systems to understand the role, use and benefits of standards for terminology, messaging, and information modeling.  This course provides foundational knowledge and introduces students to the skills, resources, and concepts that will allow them to be a life-long learner and work in this evolving field.

The University of Utah's contribution to the AMIA 10x10 program is an introductory course on Standards & Terminologies used in the fields of Clinical and Public Health Informatics.  This web-based interactive course is directed by Dr. Catherine Staes, BSN, MPH, PhD, faculty in the Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine at the University of Utah.  Students will acquire knowledge through didactic learning using voice-over-PowerPoint lectures, readings, interactive discussions, and self-assessment tests.

Course Goal

To introduce informatics students, clinicians, and public health practitioners to fundamental principles about standards and terminology and their importance for the exchange and meaningful use of health information.  Students will develop basic analysis and lifelong learning skills to engage in the evolving field of public health informatics.

Course Objectives

At the completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Describe the purpose, benefit, and limitations of using data and messaging standards
• Describe the role of standards for secondary use of data for quality improvement, public health reporting, decision support, and research and analysis.
• Describe the vocabulary and messaging standards commonly used in clinical and public health settings (e.g. HL7, LOINC, SNOMED-CT)
• Explain the desiderata for terminology and implications of misuse
• Use an information model to structure content
• Use tools to access terminologies, select appropriate codes, map local codes to standard codes, and validate standardized messages
• Evaluate a health-related message and map content to standard codes
• Identify Standards Development Organizations and resources for further self-directed learning as the field evolves.

Course Logistics:

Canvas, the University's online learning management system, will be used to manage the course.  Students will be given instructions about how to use Canvas after they enroll.  Students must set up their email in Canvas so emails will be forwarded to an address of their choice.  Any communication to the group will be initiated from Canvas, so correctly specifying the mail forward feature is critical for communication.  Use the Canvas email to communicate with the Instructor so your emails do not get lost.

The course is an adaptation of the Clinical and Public Health Informatics Terminologies and Standards class currently taught in the University of Utah Department of Biomedical Informatics. This course provides a broad overview of the field, highlighting the key issues and challenges for the field. The course is taught in a completely asynchronous manner, i.e., there are no "scheduled" classes.  Students should keep up with the course materials so they can benefit from the interactive discussion with faculty and other students, and complete the assignments.

This graduate level course has two main parts:

1) A 6 module Web-based component starting May 13, 2013.  Didactic learning is web-based and is provided through voice-over powerpoint lectures, readings, interactive discussion, and self-assessment tests. High speed internet access is highly recommended.  The readings and resources required for the course are publically available.  Students will build a library of resources that will provide ongoing learning after the course is completed, and will be pointed to relevant free online webinars that occur during the course. 

There is no textbook required for this course, all readings are freely and publicly available online and through the University of Utah.

2) Skill development is enabled by participation in interactive exercises.  The students will be given feedback and the opportunity to share and learn from one another.

Evaluation

To satisfactorily complete the course and get the full continuing education credits, students need to do the following: 1) score an average of at least 80% on the quizzes; 2) participate in the online discussions assigned for selected modules; 3) complete the exercises assigned during the course. The students will be given the grading criteria for each assignment.  Graduate-level thinking, writing, and independent study will be expected.  If students are unable to complete selected modules or attend the face-to-face meeting, then partial CEU credits will be provided based on the material completed.

Outline of Course Topic Modules 

The topics and schedule are described below.  We will provide detailed "topic guides" that specify the readings and learning activities.

ADA policy:  The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities.  If you will need accommodations in this class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the instructor and the Center for Disability Services, 162 Olpin Union Building, 581-5020 (V/TDD).  CDS will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations.  All written information in this course can be made available in alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability Services.