96332 Fundamentals of Health Information Management

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Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Health
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 92489 Foundations of Health Information Management

Description

This subject is essential grounding for clinicians, managers and planners of health and social care services, who seek to better understand how health data are organised, managed, used, shared and acted on in order to deliver effective health outcomes. The subject aims to build core skills in new thinking in healthcare delivery by focusing on the way health information management, governance and infrastructure can support and enhance quality healthcare.

Using an information lifecycle approach, students consider health information from creation to destruction, and across the care continuum. Importantly, students are encouraged to critically reflect on their own and other’s perspectives of health data, and contemplate how competing demands for data necessitate balancing legislative requirements and patient’s rights to privacy, with the legitimate use of data for clinical, financial, administrative, research and public health purposes.

The subject focuses on current and emerging trends in health information management that derive from innovations in information technology and health informatics, from new ways of thinking about leadership and governance in health and social care services, and from government regulation and the quality and safety agenda. In doing so, the subject enables students to make connections to other subjects in the MHSM course and think about the relationship of health data and information to their role of as a manager.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

A.	Apply knowledge of the capture, structure and content of the healthcare record to uses of health information in different settings
B.	Appraise and manage health information in multiple environments (paper, digital, electronic, web-based)
C.	Assess and manage healthcare record functions to ensure health information is available to meet clinical, operational and strategic needs
D.	Design systems and collection tools for data capture
E.	Interpret and apply appropriate laws, regulations, standards and policies to manage appropriate access, release and disclosure of identifiable and non-identifiable personal health information
F.	Identify and appraise current and future, local, national and international innovations in digital health, health informatics and health IT.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes specifically to the following graduate attributes:

Are reflective, critical thinkers who influence practice, policy and research to achieve clinical excellence and transform healthcare services (1.0)
Critique, interpret and synthesise data and research findings to develop safe, effective and evidence-based solutions to healthcare challenges (1.1)
Develop and contribute to research and quality improvement activities in order to maintain knowledge currency and influence healthcare practice and policy (2.2)
Validate the importance of integrating stakeholder partnerships in all healthcare decision-making activities (3.2)
Communicate effectively and appropriately in challenging, complex and diverse situations (4.0)
Value and choose highly effective and sensitive communication with diverse populations to enable positive and sustainable change in healthcare practice, policy and research (4.1)
Determine and recommend modes of communication necessary to optimise outcomes across differing audiences, purposes and contexts within healthcare practice (4.2)
Critically reflect upon the impact of ongoing colonisation and its pervasive discourse on Indigenous Australians and their health and wellbeing (5.2)

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject is designed to assist students to understand the complexities and nuances associated with health data and information. This subject is taught using a variety of teaching and learning strategies. The strategies used emphasise active and applied approaches to developing students’ ability to understand health data and information, and apply this knowledge to generate practical solutions to ensure health data is fit for purpose and effectively meets the diverse needs of users. An overarching theme of the approaches to teaching and learning is to support students to actively learn with the support of a facilitator who can assist and coach them. Understanding and critical thinking skills will be encouraged via a range of activities, including but not limited to:

Learning via online resources with active engagement opportunities with the subject content
Thought-provoking and interactive content that stimulates thinking, promotes understand and supports analysis and evaluation
Problem solving, discovery-based and critical thinking activities via a range of guided stepwise and self-directed learning opportunities.
Learning that is supported by real world examples, case studies, illustrations and data.
Opportunities for students to reflect on, explain and record their input under advice and guidance.

Content (topics)

Understanding health information and data driven healthcare
Perspectives on, and uses of, health information
Healthcare records in multiple formats
Health data concepts, principles and design
Health data management and governance
Privacy, confidentiality and security
Contemporary issues in health information management

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Personal Reflection

Intent:	This short response focuses on your understanding of the multiple perspectives and demands placed on health information. The fast paced and demanding nature of healthcare means it is often difficult to see beyond immediate needs. In this assessment task, we ask you to reflect on your own information needs and to compare these with the needs of other users of information.
Objective(s):	This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): B, C and E This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.0, 1.1, 4.0, 4.1 and 5.2
Type:	Reflection
Groupwork:	Individual
Weight:	15%
Length:	700 words
Criteria:	15% Describes information needs of self and other users 30% Considers alternative perspectives of information 30% Critically reflects on ability of information to meet varied demands 15% Validates observations about information needs through correct interpretation of relevant and current literature 10% Produces correct grammar, spelling, essay-style formatting, and reference list

Assessment task 2: Data Capture Design and Report

Intent:	This assessment task will provide students with the opportunity to apply principles and conventions related to the design, content and structure of health records and information systems. A fundamental aspect of this task is consideration of user‘s perspectives
Objective(s):	This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, C, D and E This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 2.2, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2 and 5.2
Type:	Report
Groupwork:	Individual
Weight:	50%
Length:	1500 words
Criteria:	25% Ability to design an appropriate data capture tool that is fit for purpose 25% Data capture tool designed with user needs and contextual requirements in mind 25% Report argues the case for the rationale of design choices that takes into account contemporary practice, user needs, and contextual requirements 15% Validates design choices through correct interpretation of relevant and current literature 10% Produces correct grammar, spelling, formatting, style and reference list

Assessment task 3: Privacy by Design

Intent:	This assessment task will provide students with the opportunity to apply knowledge in health privacy legislation and principles of privacy by design to the development of an electronic information system.
Objective(s):	This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): C, D and E This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 1.1, 3.2 and 4.0
Type:	Presentation
Groupwork:	Individual
Weight:	35%
Length:	10 minute presentation
Criteria:	25% Communicates the concept of privacy by design, its relationship to privacy regulations and legislation and the importance of its consideration in information systems design. 25% Argument for suggested privacy by design approach is supported by relevant literature and by comparison to alternative frameworks and approaches. 25% Describes the recommended privacy by design approach including possible tasks and resources. 15% Synthesis of relevant literature on privacy legislation and privacy by design frameworks and approaches. 10% Composes a persuasive argument and formulates a clear and logical approach to presenting the information.

Other resources

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For other resources/ information refer to the Faculty of Health website (www.uts.edu.au/about/faculty-health) and Canvas at: https://canvas.uts.edu.au/.

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Improve your academic and English language skills
Marks for all assessment tasks such as assignments and examinations are given not only for what you write but also for how you write. If you would like the opportunity to improve your academic and English language skills, make an appointment with the HELPS (Higher Education Language & Presentation Support) Service in Student Services.

HELPS (Higher Education Language & Presentation Support)
HELPS provides assistance with English language proficiency and academic language. Students who need to develop their written and/or spoken English should make use of the free services offered by HELPS, including academic language workshops, vacation intensive courses, drop-in consultations, individual appointments and Conversations@UTS (www.ssu.uts.edu.au/helps). HELPS staff are also available for drop-in consultations at the UTS Library. Phone (02) 9514 9733

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