The Critical Role of IT Support Staff in Healthcare

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/healthcare-it-support-staff

Introduction

### Course Review: The Critical Role of IT Support Staff in Healthcare In today's fast-evolving healthcare landscape, the role of technology is more significant than ever, leading to a surge in demand for IT support specialists dedicated to the health sector. One outstanding course that delves into this vital niche is **"The Critical Role of IT Support Staff in Healthcare,"** available on Coursera. This introductory course is not just a gateway to understanding Health IT; it’s a comprehensive roadmap for anyone looking to make a meaningful impact in this field. #### Course Overview This course presents a unique opportunity for aspiring IT professionals to embark on a fulfilling career path in Health IT. It highlights the multitude of roles within IT support available across different healthcare settings, such as hospitals, clinics, emergency rooms, skilled nursing facilities, and even virtual care environments. The curriculum begins by illuminating the reasons why Health Information Technology (HIT) has become an exciting and indispensable aspect of contemporary healthcare. The course is designed around two main modules: 1. **Why Health IT?** 2. **Roles for Health IT Support Staff** Each module is structured to provide a solid foundation for understanding the unique challenges and responsibilities associated with IT support in healthcare. #### Module Highlights **1. Why Health IT?** This module sparks enthusiasm around the critical world of HIT. It details the transformative power of technology in healthcare delivery over the past decade. As participants engage with real-world examples—such as a help desk agent assisting a frustrated surgeon—they learn the importance of empathy and communication in resolving IT issues. The inclusion of personal stories from seasoned professionals at Johns Hopkins University makes the experience relatable and inspiring, providing learners with a clearer view of potential career paths within HIT. **2. Roles for Health IT Support Staff** In the second module, learners are introduced to a variety of IT support roles essential for the smooth operation of healthcare organizations. It touches on the concept of high reliability organizations, emphasizing the need for exceptional leadership and communication skills. Furthermore, participants are exposed to clinical terminology, which is crucial in facilitating effective communication between IT support staff and healthcare professionals. Through behind-the-scenes footage, learners can see firsthand how IT specialists troubleshoot various issues, making the learning experience practical and applicable. #### Learning Outcomes By the end of the course, participants will: - Understand the unique aspects and importance of IT support in the healthcare context. - Recognize various roles and responsibilities associated with Health IT support. - Gain insights into the critical skills required for success in this field, including communication, technical troubleshooting, and patient-centric service. #### Recommendation I highly recommend "The Critical Role of IT Support Staff in Healthcare" for anyone interested in starting or advancing their career in Health IT. Whether you're a recent graduate, a career changer, or someone already in the healthcare sector looking to enhance your IT skills, this course equips you with both theoretical knowledge and practical insights. The involvement of professionals with real-life experiences adds immense value, allowing learners to visualize their future roles. In summary, this course not only prepares you for a career in Health IT but inspires you to understand the profound impact that effective IT support can have on patient care and the healthcare system as a whole. Sign up today and take your first step into an exciting and essential field!

Syllabus

Why Health IT?

This first module is designed to pique your interest about the exciting world of Health Information Technology, or HIT. Over the past decade, technology has had a tremendous impact on the way healthcare is delivered. As the work of clinicians, hospitals, and health systems has been re-imagined, the need for IT Support Specialists has grown. As you learn about what’s unique when working in Health IT (HIT) and what some common roles are, you’ll even see some examples of what a day-in-the life of an IT support specialist in healthcare looks like. You'll watch a help desk agent field a call from a very frustrated surgeon and through empathy and clear communication, helps to resolve the matter. During this module, you’ll be introduced to Johns Hopkins employees who are passionate about the critical role they play every day. They’ll share stories of inspiration and words of advice on how you can get your foot in the door as a Health IT support specialist. What are some examples of difficult calls they’ve handled? What are some of their proudest moments on the job? What are the most common IT issues they've helped troubleshoot? What kinds of tickets will you be helping to close someday? Get started to hear the answers to these questions and many more!

There are a variety of IT support roles that are important for keeping a hospital or health system running. In this module, you’ll learn about the kind of work that’s involved in this important and growing field. You’ll hear about what it means to be a high reliability organization and the kinds of leadership and communication skills you need to have to work in this space. You’ll get to see behind-the-scenes footage in the hospital where an IT support staff member helps a patient with their request. In another scene, you’ll see an IT support team member calmly troubleshoot an error message that a nervous employee is receiving. One of the unique aspects of healthcare compared to other fields is that there are so many clinical terms and topics that might be new to you. We want you to slowly gain exposure to the language used in hospitals as well as familiarity with terms such as chest x-rays, CT scans, second opinions, HIPAA, patient portals. Continue along to gain a better understanding of what’s involved in being an end-user computer support specialist, a help desk agent, or a healthcare IT analyst. No matter what step you take next in your career journey, just know that the rapidly growing field of health IT support has a place for you!