NEW
ST. PETERSBURG COLLEGE
APPROVED COURSE OUTLINE
Prefix
Number
Course Title
Credit Hours
HIM
1102
Introduction to Healthcare Informatics
3
A. Course Description:
Healthcare informatics studies the collection and organization of patient health information, the
effective management of information using computer technology, and the impact of such technology
on medical research, education, and patient care.
Pre- or corequisites: CTS 1101, HSC 1531 or program director approval.
B. Major Learning Outcomes:
1. The student will demonstrate an understanding of the different areas of specialization associated
with healthcare informatics, such as medical and nursing informatics, etc.
2. The student will identify key events in the history and development of electronic health/medical
records, including the present industry environment which combines both paper and electronic
components of records, and future trends associated with the discipline.
3. The student will demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of health data standards as they relate to
the development of the computerized infrastructure necessary to support the implementation of
electronic medical records.
4. The student will explore the role of informatics professionals, specifically in the assessment of
training needs and the practice of ethical practices to safeguard confidential health information.
C. Course Objectives Stated in Performance Terms:
1. The student will demonstrate an understanding of the different areas of specialization associated
with healthcare informatics, such as medical and nursing informatics, etc. by:
a. researching, writing, and reporting on the various areas of specialization associated with
the general discipline of informatics.
b. explaining the distinctions and nuances of the areas of informatics specialization and how
they are similar, different, and inter-related.
c. comparing and contrasting the purposes and objectives related to each area of informatics
specialization and how they impact the development of the electronic health/medical
record.
2. The student will identify key events in the history and development of electronic health/medical
records, including the present industry environment which combines both paper and electronic
components of records, and future trends associated with the discipline by:
a. researching, writing, and reporting on key historical events that have contributed to the
development of present-day electronic health/medical record systems.
b. identifying the common features and functionality of present-day electronic
health/medical record systems across a variety of environments, i.e. hospitals, outpatient
settings, specialty facilities, etc.
c. exploring and reporting on future trends associated with electronic health/medical record
development and implementation, including information on federal and state initiatives
and requirements designed to support and promote automation of health records.
3. The student will demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of health data standards as they relate to
the development of the computerized infrastructure necessary to support the implementation of
electronic medical records by:
a. researching, writing, and reporting on the technical and health data standards and the
related organizations that create and disseminate standards associated with the
technological infrastructure needed to support electronic health/medical record systems.
b. identifying the purpose, structure, and functions of health information (medical record)
departments and the impact of the transformation to healthcare informatics on various
health care environments.
c. exploring and reporting issues related to human-computer interaction and the implications
of information technology for patient care and research.
4. The student will explore the role of informatics professionals, specifically in the assessment of
training needs and the practice of ethical practices to safeguard confidential health information
by:
a. planning and reporting on methods to assess training needs and deploy training resources
to prepare employees for implementation of electronic health/medical record systems.
b. identifying key principles, protocols, and codes of conduct associated with protecting the
privacy, confidentiality, and security of electronic health/medical records.
c. developing and sharing a library of resources (organizations, conferences, publications,
contacts, etc.) to stay abreast of trends related to the development and implementation of
electronic health/medical record systems.
D. Criteria Performance Standard:
Upon successful completion of the course the student will, with a minimum of 78% accuracy,
demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through classroom measures developed
by individual course instructors.
E. Rationale:
This introductory course is being created as part of the new Healthcare Informatics Associate in
Science degree and Certificate programs proposed in a U.S. Department of Labor grant awarded to
St. Petersburg College in January 2007. For details, refer to the grant project abstract included
below.
Project Abstract
Applicant Name, Project Title, and Industry Focus
RAND Corporation estimates healthcare information technology will save $80 billion a
year by reducing medical errors and costs. According to former Health and Human Services
Secretary, Tommy Thomson, “Health Information Technology adoption is vital to the future of
our Nation’s health system.” St. Petersburg College proposes to implement the “Building the
Healthcare Informatics Workforce Project” to increase the number of workers with the healthcare
informatics skills needed to adopt information technology in the healthcare industry.
Partnership Members:
Industry partners approached the College for assistance in addressing an escalating need for a
workforce with healthcare informatics skills. For the past two years, they participated in ongoing
discussions and focus groups to identify the specific skills needed for the workforce and to
facilitate the establishment of healthcare informatics programs. The entire partnership then
identified key capacity constraints and designed strategies to overcome the capacity challenges
and provide the training. The partnership includes the following organizations concerned about
the shortage of qualified workers to meet the needs of the community:
 Workforce Investment System: Partners include WorkNet Pinellas and One-Stop
Career Centers
 Healthcare Industry: Partners include 21 hospitals in the BayCare Health System and
HCA West Florida Division, and Pinellas County Economic Development.
 Continuum of Education: Education partners include Pinellas County Schools, the
University of South Florida, and the lead partner, St. Petersburg College
Proposed Training and Capacity Building Activities:
Proposed training strategies will ensure a seamless continuum of education to
postsecondary education, support program retention and completion, and assist with job
placement of participants. The proposed capacity building strategies will produce a new
postsecondary healthcare informatics curriculum as well as curricular units for secondary
students, a well-trained faculty equipped with the resources needed to teach the curriculum, and
marketing and recruiting materials to attract students to healthcare informatics careers.
The new healthcare informatics program courses will be designed for online learning, but they
will also be able to be delivered in a blended instructor-led format. Healthcare employers will be
able to provide training to employees on an individual or group basis, and current healthcare
employees will be able to access the courses they need to move from entry-level jobs to
increasingly responsible positions in the healthcare industry. The project’s web portal will be a
rich source of information about the project, the healthcare informatics industry, the College’s
healthcare informatics certificate and degree programs, and other career and training
opportunities. Youth will learn about healthcare informatics through a structured high school
outreach program and through in-school job and career presentations by College faculty. An
online competency-based Introduction to Healthcare Informatics tutorial will be available free of
charge to anyone interested in learning about healthcare informatics. The annual Healthcare
Informatics Symposium, which will be self-sustaining after the grant period, will bring expertise
to the region and provide a forum for communication among industry representatives, secondary
and postsecondary faculty, and students.
Funding Request: $1,246,869
Amount of Leveraged Resources: $1,544,313
F. Textbooks:
Englebardt, Sheila & Nelson, Ramona.(2002) Health Care Informatics: An Interdisciplinary Approach.
Mosby.
This workforce solution was funded by a grant awarded under the President’s CommunityBased Job Training Grants as implemented by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment
and Training Administration. The solution was created by the grantee and does not
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