APPLICATIONS IN MEDICAL INFORMATICS

University of Pittsburgh
School of Information Sciences
Library and Information Science Program

this is a generic syllabus; students taking the course will have a web-enabled syllabus in each term when the course is taught. This course is usually taught in the Spring Term (January-April).

LIS 2587: Applications in Medical Informatics

Course Description:

A survey of concepts and activities in medical informatics, including an introduction to the applications of information technology in the areas of knowledge-based information and library informatics; integrated hospital information systems and patient-specific information; nursing, radiology, pathology, and pharmacy services; clinical decision support; telehealth; and medical education. Also included are concepts related to applications of informatics in health care financing; legal, ethical, and philosophical issues in medical informatics; and consumer informatics.

No pre-requisites.

Intended for masters-level graduate students in the helping and service professions without clinical experience. Also intended for practicing medical librarians and health information professionals who want to update knowledge in the field of medical informatics.

Classes: 2 hours, 50 minutes once each week.

Expected class size: maximum of 20.

This course is offered approximately once a year, usually in the Spring Term (January-April).

Course Faculty:

Ellen G. Detlefsen, DLS
Associate Professor, Department of Library & Information Science
Core Training Faculty, Center for Biomedical Informatics
ellen@sis.pitt.edu http://www.sis.pitt.edu/~ellen/

CALENDAR

Session 1
Introduction. Definitions. Literature and Resources of the Field.

Session 2
Professional Associations, Federal Agencies, and Funders.

Session 3
Informatics and Education.

Session 4
IAIMS: the Integrated Advanced Information Management System.

Session 5
The Unified Medical Language System.

Session 6
The Electronic Patient Record. HIPAA. Decision Support Systems.

Session 7
Imaging and Informatics. Pathology Informatics. Radiology Informatics

Session 8
Telemedicine and Telehealth.

Session 9
Nursing Informatics.

Session 10
Pharmacy Informatics.

Session 11
Public Health Informatics. International Issues in Informatics.

Session 12
Dental Informatics. Veterinary Informatics.

Session 13
Consumer Informatics.

Session 14
Ethical and Legal Issues in Informatics.

Session 15
Medical Libraries and Informatics. The Future of Informatics. The Professional Presentation Session

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. Attendance & active participation in class
2. Readings as assigned
3. Active participation in the Discussion Boards on CourseWeb
4. 4 written exercises
5. A term project (paper or presentation)

READINGS

[list under construction]
Additional readings may be assigned throughout the course of the term.

EXERCISES

[1]
Choose a professional journal in medical informatics, clear your choice with the instructor, read at least a year's worth of it, and write an evaluative review for your colleagues. The reviews will be shared electronically so that each participant will have the comments from all other classmates. Each student will review a different journal. The review should be posted to the Discussion Board on CourseWeb by noon on the due date so that the entire class can benefit from your review and evaluation. Please be prepared to discuss your example in class on the due date as well.

[2]
Select one health professional (not a librarian, please!) in the field of medical informatics, and clear your choice with the instructor. Interview that individual abour his or her educational background, current job responsibilities, and continuing education activities. Summarize your interview in a paper of no more than 3pp. The paper should be turned into the instructor, and not posted on the Discussion Board on CourseWeb (so that you can assure your interviewee of confidentiality).

[3]
Choose an image-rich medical website (in a field such as anatomy, history of medicine, radiology, pathology, genetics, etc.) and clear your choice with the instructor. Explore that website and review it for your colleagues. The reviews will be shared electronically so that each participant will have the comments from all other classmates. Each student will review a different website. The review should be posted to the Discussion Board on CourseWeb by noon on the due date so that the entire class can benefit from your review and evaluation. Please be prepared to demostrate and discuss your website in class on the due date as well.

[4]
Choose a country other than the United States; clear your choice with the instructor, and investigate (using the professional literature and the Web, and if possible, by interviewing individuals with knowledge of the country you have selected) the extent to which medical informatics, or some aspect of the field of medical informatics, is a part of that country's health care infrastructure. Summarize your findings in a paper of nor more than 3 pages. The paper should be posted to the Discussion Board on CourseWeb by noon on the due date so that the entire class can benefit from your investigation. Please be prepared to share your findings in class on the due date as well.

[5]
Choose an "intelligent" or "interactive" health website targeted to either students or consumers [a list of likely candidates will be distributed to the class], complete the tasks expected of a visitor to the website, and review the website for your colleagues. The reviews will be shared electronically so that each participant will have the comments from all other classmates. Each student will review a different website. The review should be posted to the Discussion Board on CourseWeb by noon on the due date so that the entire class can benefit from your review and evaluation. The sites will be demonstrated in class as well.

TERM PROJECT

Term Project Professional Presentation structured abstract AND Term Project Professional Presentation

You should choose a topic related to a current issue in medical informatics.

In consultation with the instructor, choose a problem that interests you personally or one that needs to be accomplished professionally. For example, you might want to attempt a publishable review of the literature on a medical informatics problem for a professional journal. or you may want to prepare a talk that you can use in the job search process. Clear your choice of topic with the instructor.

Please prepare some kind of 10 minute presentation for a professional meeting, etc., on the topic, or prepare a 10 minute educational session for a specific audience, or prepare a 10 page paper in the form of a manuscript to be submitted to a professional journal. Clear your choice of presentation format with the instructor.

You must prepare a structured abstract for your work, and a 2-page handout/bibliography for presentation to your peers. Your material will be presented in class on the due date. Structured abstracts must be submitted electronically to the instructor one week prior. The actual presentations will be done for the colleagues on the last day of class.

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A note on Citations

Please choose and use a standard citation style and style manual whenever you cite the work of another person. A good choice for those interested in medicine is the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals which may be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.acponline.org/journals/annals/01jan97/unifreqr.htm

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A note on Language Courtesy

Inclusive language: Gender-inclusive language is required in all course work. The use of respectful language in any situation is not a matter of political correctness but one of simple courtesy.
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A note on Special Needs

Students with disabilities who require special accommodations or other classroom modifications should notify the instructor and the University's Office of Disability Resources & Services (DRS) no later than the 2nd week of the term. Students may be asked to provide documentation of their disability to determine the appropriateness of the request. DRS is located in 216 William Pitt Union and can be contacted at 412-648-7890 (Voice), 412-624-3346(Fax), and 412-383-7355(TTY). Students who must miss an exam or class due to religious observances must notify the instructor ahead of time and make alternative arrangements.
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copyright 2005, Ellen Gay Detlefsen

LIS 2587 syllabus last updated 02.11.2005