Information Management for Health Care Ontario College Graduate Certificate
ObjectivesThe program incorporates knowledge of clinical, administrative and financial processes in health care with applications of information technology in health care. The students will also acquire an understanding of privacy and confidentiality of patient data and information as well as acquire skills needed to develop sound training programs and materials.
Practical experienceThere is a co-op component associated with this program. The program is comprised of three semesters where two semesters are full-time in-class study and the other is a co-op work term. During their co-op terms, students will work as paid employees in the field of health informatics. This experience allows students to put classroom learning into practice, provides valuable contacts for future careers, and helps to prepare for future learning.
Entry requirementsThis graduate certificate program in Information Management for Health Care is intended for information technology graduates who have successfully completed an advanced diploma or degree in information technology and who intend to further their learning in the field of health informatics.
Academic titleInformation Management for Health Care Ontario College Graduate Certificate
Course descriptionLevel One
ADMN1220 Health Records
Description: This course introduces the student to the fundamentals of data management in the health services setting. Topics include health record content and record management. Manual and electronic health record formats are explored, as well as issues of their usability, security, privacy, quality, access, and linkage to health care information systems.
Hours: 60
Credits: 4
COMM1580 Foundations of Communications for Health Informatics
Description: Communication is at the heart of Health Informatics projects and organizations. This course cultivates an awareness of key aspects of communication: bridging the gap between oneself and others, using and citing sources, using simple, concise and direct language and proofreading accurately. The application of these skills to communicating with different audiences, crafting well organized letters, emails, memos, resumes, cover letters, and presentations, and using various media to express one’s ideas clearly and correctly are the major focus of this course.
Hours: 60
Credits: 4
HIM1050 Health Informatics I
Description: This course will introduce students to information needs of health care professionals and the role of health informatics in a variety of health care settings. Students will prepare to work with health data and information by becoming familiar with the language and processes of health care, as well as sources, collection, storage, manipulation, retrieval and applications of health care data and information.
Hours: 60
Credits: 4
HIM2030 Health Informatics II
Description: Through a comprehensive overview of fundamental health informatics concepts, this course will provide a theoretical perspective on the trends and issues related to computerization in health care, including challenges and opportunities. Topics include definitions of fundamental concepts in information science (e.g., data, information and knowledge), issues that pertain to representation of information (e.g., coding, classification) as well as a review of information systems (e.g., electronic health record), communication systems (e.g., computer networks, telehealth) and decision support systems (e.g., intelligent systems, monitoring systems) in healthcare.
Hours: 60
Credits: 4
LIBS7160 User Training and Adult Education
Description: This course is designed to provide an overview of issues related to classroom training, one-on-one sessions, Web-based training, and floor support for adults learning to use new technology or understand new concepts. It will also provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate an ability to conduct user-training sessions.
Hours: 45
Credits: 3
Level Two
CDEV1020 Co-op and Career Preparation
Description: This mandatory course prepares students for job searching for their co-op work terms and for post-graduate careers. Students will learn to critically evaluate their skills, attitudes, and expectations and evaluate and interpret available opportunities in the workplace. Self-marketing techniques using resumes, cover letters, cold-calls, and interviewing will be learned and students will learn the expectations, rules, and regulations that apply in the workplace with regards to social, organizational, ethical, and safety issues.
Hours: 16
Credits: 1
COMM2080 Professional Communication for Health Informatics
Description: This course will focus on communicating technical information effectively for business purposes. Building on the skills learned in Technical Communication for Health Informatics, students will study business communication theory/practice and apply the knowledge to planning, drafting, revising, critiquing, and presenting business correspondence, proposals, and formal reports. Students will also develop skills in research and professional oral presentations through assigned projects.
Hours: 45
Credits: 3
Pre-Requisites: COMM1580
ECON2010 Health Care Finance/Public Sector Economics
Description: Topics in both micro and macroeconomics will be examined. Specific topics will include theory of the role of a government in the economy, public expenditure theories and practice as it relates to the health sector, public choice and government decision-making, government grants, government taxation, user charges, borrowing and the public debt.
Hours: 45
Credits: 3
HIM1070 Anatomy and Physiology (Health Informatics)
Description: The anatomy and physiology of body systems will be examined. Topics covered in this course include cell structure, circulatory, lymphatic, respiratory, urinary and reproductive systems. Students will discuss selected examples of common pathological conditions including heart disease, stroke, cancer, immune diseases, diabetes and infections. Students will be expected to read and interpret related clinical information.
Hours: 75
Credits: 5
HIM2020 Governance and Structures of Health Care Systems in Canada
Description: Students will gain a comprehensive and critical understanding of the planning and delivery functions of health care, including the Canadian health care system, factors affecting health policy formulation, health economics, and funding sources. These concepts will be discussed at the federal, provincial, regional, and organizational levels to prepare students for leadership roles as health informatics professionals.
Hours: 45
Credits: 3
INFO1750 Clinical Systems
Description: This course will introduce clinical information systems used in various health organizations. It will provide students with the knowledge required to maintain and implement, using a component based approach, clinical information systems such as electronic medical records, lab, pharmacy and radiology systems.
Hours: 60
Credits: 4
Level Three
COOP1450 Co-op Work Term 1 - HIM
Description: This course will provide students with college-approved work experience in health care informatics environments. The students are able to apply knowledge and skills learned in Year I of the Health Informatics Management program.
Generic skills they have studied up to this point include the understanding of teamwork skills and individual accountability, conflict resolution techniques, effective verbal and written communication.
This course will increase the student’s understanding of real-life employer expectations with regards to attitudinal, practical, and academic skills required to gain employment and enhance self-marketing skills. In addition to these employability skills, the student will also have an opportunity to apply technical knowledge from the prior semesters of study to real life situations. These essential employability and technical skills areas will be improved during the work term while the student responsibly performs the duties as laid out in the job description, in accordance with course and program outcomes.
Hours: 420
Credits: 14