221.637.81 HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Systematically presents population-based and provider-based methods by which data are secured and analyzed to provide indicators of health service use, health risk behavior, and outcomes relative to health status. Targets health status indicators as the basis of planning and evaluation across a wide range of health objectives and measurement characteristics examined. Introduces health information resources available through the World Wide Web and develops skills to search and access data through the Internet.

After completing this course students should be able to: 1) state the objectives of a health information system (HIS); 2) state the types of decisions that HIS are designed to make; 3) state the types of information (typical health indicators) needed for each of the decisions HIS is designed to make; 4) identify the major systems of health information with special reference to methods of data collection and problems of measurement; 5) demonstrate the use of different systems of health information for public health practice; 6) evaluate the strengths and limitations of different systems of health information; and 7) decide the best health information system in a given context for calculating typical health indicators.