HIF 695: Health Informatics Masters Capstone

Course Description

The purpose of this course is to thread program concepts, skills, and knowledge developed throughout the program into a culminating capstone experience. This course has an interdisciplinary lens and focuses on current topics of interest in the various fields of healthcare informatics and healthcare information technology. This course serves as the final course for the program. Students will submit a research paper on a student-led topic on any major area of health information systems covered throughout the program. This will give the student the opportunity to author a research paper for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. A letter grade of a “B” or better is required for the successful completion of the Capstone course. (3 credits)

Prerequisites

  • HCA 640: Research Methods in Healthcare
  • HIF 535: Healthcare Data Analytics
  • HIF 635: Advanced Data Analytics

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

  1. Evaluate a current challenge of a health science field from possible fields of biology, genomics, clinical and translational science, healthcare delivery, personal health, or population health.
  2. Assess the extent to which existing healthcare informatic tools solve problems in either consumer health informatics or in the healthcare system.
  3. Analyze the social, behavioral, legal, psychological, management, cognitive, and economic theories, methods, and models applicable to health informatics from an individual and population health perspective.
  4. Evaluate how health information technology systems address current challenges in the health science field, which can include genomics, clinical and translational science, healthcare delivery, personal health, and population health.
  5. Understand the role of users and key stakeholders in the design and application of information systems and technology.
  6. Analyze the advantages and limitations of using information science and technology to solve biomedical and health information problems, taking into account the needs of the different stakeholders.
  7. Examine the end-user's awareness of the interrelatedness of social, business, human factors, behavioral, and information sciences and technology in the design, implementation, and evaluation of health informatics solutions.
  8. Discuss the ethical responsibilities of working with various stakeholders.
  9. Analyze the different key roles of the stakeholders and decision makers in the Healthcare application implementation process.
  10. Analyze health care research data through use of statistical formulas and propose ideas for further research in the health informatics field.

 

Course Activities and Grading

AssignmentsWeightPoints

Discussions (Weeks 1,3,4,5 and 6) @ 30 points

15%

150

Research Proposal (Week 1)

10%

100

Research Matrix (Week 2) 

5%

50

Research Literature Review (Week 3)

5%

50

Introduction (Week 4)

5%

50

Methodology, Results, Discussion (Week 5)

5%

50

Conclusion & Abstract (Week 6)

5%

50

Submit Research Paper (Week 7)

25%

250

Submit & Present Virtual Poster (Week 8) (Poster 184 points, presentation 66 points)

25%

250

Total

100%

1000

Required Textbook

Available through Charter Oak's online bookstore

  • Watzlaf & Forrestal (2017). Health Informatics Research Methods: Principles and Practice. 2nd ed. ‎ AHIMA. ISBN-13: 9781584265320

Recommended Supplemental Resource

  • White, Susan. Certified Health Data Analyst Exam Prep. 2nd ed. AHIMA. ISBN-13: 9781584266181

Additional Resource

Course Schedule

Week

SLOs

Readings and Exercises

Assignments

1

1

Topic: Research Part I: Research Proposal

  • Readings:
    • Chapter 10
  • Read assigned chapter
  • Participate in discussion
  • Submit Research Proposal

2

2

Topic: Research Part II: Research Matrix

  • Readings:
    • Chapter 10 (Review)
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Submit Research Matrix

3

4,5

Topic: Research Part III: Literature Review

  • Readings:
    • Chapter 9

 

  • Read assigned chapters
  • Participate in discussion
  • Submit Literature Review

4

1

Topic: Research Part III: Introduction

  • Readings:
    • Chapter 11

 

  • Read assigned chapters
  • Participate in discussion
  • Submit Introduction

5

5,10

Topic: Research Part IV: Methodology, Results, Discussion

  • Readings:
    • Chapter 12
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Participate in discussion
  • Submit Methodology, Results, Discussion

6

6

Topic: Part V: Conclusion & Abstract

  • Readings:
    • Chapter 15
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Participate in discussion
  • Submit Conclusion & Abstract

7

1-10

Topic: Part V: Submit Research Paper

  • Readings:
    • Chapter 14

 

  • Submit Research Paper

8

1-10

Topic: Part VI: Poster Presentation

  • Readings:
    • No assigned readings this week.
  • Submit & Present Poster Presentation

COSC Accessibility Statement

Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.

COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources

Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.