Module 1 – Overview of Computer Systems and Their Use in Health Care
On-Line Learning Agenda
I am working on the assumption that your other courses have not yet “piled on the work” and
so this is more work than I would normally expect in half a week.
First things first!
By now :
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You should have read the Welcome Letter.
You should have white-listed both my email addresses in all your email accounts where
Simmons email goes. (Instructions on how to do this are at the end of the Welcome
Letter.)
You should have created a folder for this course in your email account for Simmons
email.
You should have read the Syllabus.
This week
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We learn about the major components of a computer system.
We learn about the main types of computer packages found in health care.
We think about how information needs to pass among these systems and become
aware of more and less successful examples of system integration.
We become aware of better and more poorly designed interfaces for the user (you as a
professional).
We think about and discuss how a computer system can support or hinder you in your
work.
By Friday noon:
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Read Hebda (HC) Chapters 1, 2, and 6, paying particular attention to Chapter 2 and the
first two sections of Chapter 1.
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Read the article How Computers Work in the Notes and Files section.
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You should test yourself to be sure that you know all the terms at
http://www.duke.edu/web/informatics/IT/IT-hardware.html and
http://www.duke.edu/web/informatics/IT/IT-software.html (except SRS and Database,
which appear later in this course.)
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If you are interested in learning more, then read about computers at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer (Skip the section on the history of computing.)
and read the first 3 paragraphs of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system on
what an operating system is.
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Post to the whole class a brief introduction to yourself. I have posted one already.
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In your own discussion group post to the question below:
If you have had a clinical rotation: Pick a very simple example of a health care situation
which you have seen in your clinical rotations (e.g. a child falls off a jungle gym and is
taken to the E.R.)
In 1-2 paragraphs describe what steps will take place (e.g. initial evaluation at the E.R.
etc.) and which kinds of information systems (see HC Ch. 5) will be accessed. If you can
describe where the data is first entered and where it must flow to.
In one paragraph reflect on two different computer systems you have seen in two
different hospitals (please be specific about the hospital & service). What features of
these systems made them easy to use? Hard to use? Time consuming?
If you are not a nursing student or have not yet had any clinical rotations, then replace
the first part of the posting with a description of getting a physical exam and replace the
second part with a discussion of finding, selecting and ordering a book on health
informatics from Amazon versus from Barnes and Nobles.
By Sunday at 6 p.m.
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Please respond to at least two of the posts in your group. Try to be sure that each initial
post has at least one response and that your response does not simply duplicate a
previous response.
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Here are possible responses:
o Did the initial post omit some steps in the first two paragraphs?
o Do you agree or disagree with the assessment of the information systems in the
last paragraph? Have additional features to discuss?
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Email me with any questions about material in the How Computers Work article .