Syllabus E-Health Writing Course: Spring 2016
Nov. 20, 2016
Ronald L. Scott
rscott@central.uh.edu
Office: Room 104H-TU II
Telephone: 713.502.9480 (cell)
Course Description: See course description on UHLC website.
Writing Requirements: Students will write three papers. The first will be a client letter
reviewing and analyzing a proposed or recently enacted statute or regulation. For example, in
2013, new regulations and guidance addressed prescription refill reminders under the Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), i.e., when such reminders constitute
“marketing” and therefore require an “authorization” from the patient. Students could be asked
to explain the regulations to clients. This assignment will be completed before spring break.
The second assignment is also a client letter. Details will be provided later.
The final assignment is mini-thesis on a subject chosen by the student (related to the course). It
should be similar to a bar journal type article. The final assignment will be due during finals,
after the course is finished, but a draft will be due earlier, during the course. Students can use
course materials for the paper.
For each of the papers, students must submit a draft. I will provide detailed comments on the
drafts which I will expect you to incorporate into the final versions of the papers. Each of these
assignments should be a minimum of 2000 words each not including footnotes (About 8 pages
double spaced).
Class Preparation and Participation: The assigned materials for each class can be read in less
than an hour. In a small class, solid preparation and active participation are expected, and make
the class more enjoyable for everyone. 15 percent of the course grade will be based on class
participation. The class is subject the law center’s mandatory 80% attendance policy, but with a
small class such you should make every effort to attend each class. Please be on-time. I
sometimes begin the class with a short film or introductory administrative remarks that you will
not want to miss.
Grading: Class Participation 15%, First Client Letter 25%, Second Client Letter 25%, Final
Mini-Thesis 35%.
Course Materials/ Reading Assignments: Course materials and reading assignments will be
posted on the UH Blackboard system, or materials may occasionally be sent by email or (rarely)
passed out in class.
1
Date
1/20
1/25
1/27
2/1
2/3
Topic
What is e-health?
mHealth-FDA regulation of iPhone apps
Writing class one: The client letter.
mhealth, continued.
Why is medical privacy important?
2/8
HIPAA Privacy Rule
2/10
2/15
Social Media & Health Care
E-health and the physician-patient
relationship
DTC Advertising Prescription Drugs
DTC Advertising, cont. (Online rules,
HIPAA marketing rules, “matchback”
circumvention)
Patient Direct Access to Lab Results
Quest for Direct Access to Medical
Devices Data
Medical Identity Theft
HIPAA Security Rule & Breach
Chapters 6 and 7 Privacy and Security
Notification Chapters 6 and 7 Privacy and of Electronic Health Information
Security of Electronic Health Information
Physician Payments Sunshine Act (2010)
The Digital Divide
Internet Pharmacies: (a) Rogue and (b)
Legitimate but out of country, e.g. Canada
E-Prescribing
Direct-to-consumer Genetic Testing
Writing class two: Academic legal writing
Net Neutrality: Importance to Healthcare
Personal Health Records (PHRs)
Electronic Health Records (EHRs)
EHRs, cont.
Telemedicine Licensing: Interstate
Medical Licensure Compact (2014)
Teladoc v. Texas Medical Board ,
No. 03-13-00211-CV , Court of
Appeals of Texas, Third District,
Austin
Online Consultation & Prescribing
2/17
2/22
2/24
2/29
3/2
3/7
3/9
3/21
3/23
3/28
3/30
4/4
4/6
4/11
4/13
4/18
4/20
4/25
4/27
2
Readings
The Importance and Value of
Protecting the Privacy of Health
Information:
Joy L. Pritts, JD (P. 1-18)
Chapters 1-3 Privacy and Security of
Electronic Health Information