Health Information Technology Fundamentals

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/health-it-fundamentals

Introduction

**Course Review: Health Information Technology Fundamentals on Coursera** In an era where the healthcare landscape is rapidly evolving, understanding Health Information Technology (Health IT) is crucial for anyone involved in healthcare. Coursera offers a comprehensive course titled **Health Information Technology Fundamentals**, which serves as an in-depth introduction to the essential concepts, tools, and functions of electronic health records (EHRs). ### Course Overview The course is structured into several modules, each designed to provide students with a thorough understanding of the health IT ecosystem. It emphasizes the significance of EHRs in modern healthcare by exploring the transition from paper-based records to digitized solutions. By reviewing the role that EHRs play in patient care, students will gain insights into how technology supports healthcare operations and ultimately improves patient outcomes. ### Module Breakdown 1. **Introduction to Electronic Health Records** - The first module sets the stage by explaining why EHRs are pivotal for patient care. It offers a comprehensive overview of the benefits of electronic records and familiarizes learners with leading EHR vendors. This foundational knowledge is crucial as it outlines the lifecycle of EHR utilization, from scheduling appointments to addressing patient discharges. Students will also learn how patient data flows through various healthcare settings and the necessary support mechanisms for clinicians during this process. 2. **EHR Applications and Features** - In this module, learners will delve deeper into specific applications of EHRs within different healthcare settings—like ambulatory care, inpatient facilities, emergencies, and more. The course emphasizes critical components of EHRs, such as the documentation of allergies and medications, as well as the collaborative efforts of healthcare teams in resolving any issues related to order handling. 3. **Clinical Decision Support and Databases** - This module focuses on clinical decision support (CDS) systems integrated into EHRs. It elucidates various CDS tools, such as alerts and reminders that empower healthcare providers in making informed clinical choices. Students will also learn about the governance structures surrounding CDS in healthcare organizations, providing a holistic perspective on how decision support is refined and modified to enhance patient care. 4. **Training, Communication, and Change Management** - The final module discusses the critical role of training in the successful implementation of EHRs. Through practical scenarios, students experience the training processes that health IT trainers employ when onboarding clinical end-users. The course covers essential topics like change management during EHR upgrades, effective communication strategies, and preparation processes that ensure smooth transitions and updates. ### Recommendations **Who Should Take This Course?** - The **Health Information Technology Fundamentals** course is ideal for healthcare professionals, administrators, and IT specialists seeking to enhance their understanding of health IT systems. It is also beneficial for students entering the healthcare field or anyone looking to grasp the foundational concepts of EHRs and their impact on patient care. **Why You Should Enroll** - The course's structured approach and clear objectives ensure that learners can apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios. With a focus on both technical aspects and user experience, this course effectively bridges the gap between healthcare processes and information technology. **Flexibility and Accessibility** - Being hosted on Coursera, the course allows for flexible learning opportunities, accommodating the schedules of busy healthcare professionals. Additionally, its accessibility online makes it reachable to a global audience, making it a valuable resource regardless of your location. ### Conclusion In conclusion, the **Health Information Technology Fundamentals** course on Coursera offers an invaluable educational experience for anyone interested in the intersection of healthcare and technology. By comprehensively covering essential topics related to EHRs, from their benefits to their applications and challenges, this course equips participants with the knowledge necessary to navigate and contribute to the evolving healthcare environment. Whether you’re enhancing your professional skill set or just eager to understand health IT better, this course comes highly recommended. Enroll today and take a significant step toward becoming well-versed in the future of healthcare technology!

Syllabus

Introduction to Electronic Health Records

In this module, you’ll be introduced to electronic health records (EHRs) and why they’re important from a patient care perspective. We will review the benefits of electronic health records and become familiar with what the most common EHR companies are that you should be familiar with. You’ll see the full lifecycle of the role an EHR plays starting from the point of scheduling and front desk registration. You’ll learn about the way ambulatory or outpatient encounters are handled. We’ll then discuss emergency room visits, inpatient admissions and the role of Health IT at the time of discharge from the hospital. We will highlight the integration of multiple steps in care delivery that revolve around this important tool. You’ll learn about the way patient data moves through the system, how clinicians might need technical assistance and what your role in troubleshooting or escalating issues could be.

In this next module you’ll gain an even better understanding of how electronic medical records play an integral role in healthcare delivery. We’ll cover common EHR applications in Ambulatory, Inpatient, Emergency, Pharmacy, Radiology, and Operating Room (OR) settings. You’ll be introduced to some of the important patient information that’s documented in the EHR, such as allergies and medications. You’ll also get a behind the scenes view of what happens when an order placed by a provider needs to be modified. The importance of teamwork and communication in addressing issues is highlighted.

This module covers clinical decision support (CDS) and how these tools are embedded into electronic health records (EHRs). We’ll go over common types of CDS such as alerts, preventive health reminders, configuration of order sets and calculators. When it comes to clinical decision support, there are CDS committees at a hospital or health system level that are responsible for reviewing the way CDS is functioning in practice. Physicians, nurses, pharmacists and analysts serve on these committees. Each organization has its own governance structure and meeting schedule for these kinds of groups. When there are issues that arise, these committees are decide how best to modify the CDS to ensure that the EHR is helping providers provide the best care. They also make decisions around what alerts should fire for providers, and what exclusions should be applied to limit alert fatigue. We’re providing you with this perspective so that you understand that not all issues related to the EHR can be addressed by the help desk, level 2, level 4 or even application specific teams. During this module, you’ll also be introduced to technical terminology related to databases, servers, and interfaces.

Now that you’ve been oriented to electronic health records, clinical decision support, and databases, we’re going to cover the importance of and process of training end-users in healthcare. You’ll see a scenario where a health IT trainer teaches a clinical end-user about the process of logging in, getting authenticated, and looking up patients. You’ll want to be familiar with roles of super-user, application specialists, and system trainers. The EHR database structure is complex and there are many different environments that exist in order to ensure that users can be educated appropriately. Applications in health IT are frequently undergoing updates, so you’ll want to be familiar with the different training environments and how data can be migrated. We’ll also cover the change management process involving EHR upgrades and importance of effective communication, significant preparation, and downtime procedures.