18. Health Informatics

Master of Health Informatics

Information exchange is the core of a safe, efficient and effective health system. The underlying aim of the Master of Health Informatics program is to provide graduates with the required knowledge and skills to be able to understand and improve the way in which health care delivery and patient outcomes are enhanced through the effective use and exchange of information.

Health systems internationally are coming under increasing pressures driven by demographic, social and technological change. Existing models of health care delivery will not be sustainable in future decades. Information and communication technologies have a significant role to play in creating opportunities for new models of care delivery. Examples range from telemedicine applications supporting care delivery in the community to sophisticated clinical decision support systems accessible to clinicians at the point of care.

The Master of Health Informatics is intended to attract a diverse range of students with relevant undergraduate qualifications in health, computer science or related areas and provide them with the opportunity to complete an advanced program of study for entry to the health informatics profession. Reflecting the broad nature of health informatics the professional bodies associated with the profession are: the Australian College of Health Informaticians (www.achi.org.au); the Health Informatics Society of Australia (www.hisa.org.au), and the Health Information Management Association of Australia (www.himaa.org.au). The two key bodies internationally are the International Medical Informatics Association (www.imia.org) and the American Medical Informatics Association (www.amia.org).

The course focuses on three central knowledge areas: information and computer science, principles of health informatics, and research methods and analysis applied to health informatics. Each of these knowledge areas will underpin the philosophy of using information technology to improve quality, safety and cost efficiency of healthcare. The course consists of 12 compulsory units of study and four electives. It is delivered full-time over two years or students may elect to enrol part-time. The program provides a range of delivery modes to suit part-time students. Students may receive credit transfer for core units of study; however credit transfer for electives must be replaced with alternative units of study. Electives can be chosen from across the University of Sydney and include offerings by the School of Information Technologies and the School of Public Health.

The Master of Health Informatics is designed for those graduates who wish to pursue a career as health informatics specialists or for health professionals who wish to increase their knowledge and skills in this developing area.

Admission requirements

In order to qualify for admission to the Master of Health Informatics, applicants shall have:

• a bachelor’s degree from an Australian tertiary institution or equivalent in a health related area, such as medicine, nursing or allied health, or
• A bachelor’s degree from an Australian tertiary institution or equivalent in a non-health related area, such as computer science or commerce. (In this case, students must complete two prescribed units of study as electives - Fundamentals of Medical Terminology and Health Care System.)

Applicants should normally have at least a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 4.5 or greater (approximately equivalent to a credit average or better) in their bachelor’s degree.

Course outline

The course outlines for the Master of Health Informatics pass and honours degrees are presented in Tables 18.1 and 18.1.1. Unit descriptions and a list of faculty electives are found in Chapter 26. Students can also choose electives from the Schools of Public Health and Information Technologies.

Table 18.1: Master of Health Informatics

Table 18.1.1: Master of Health Informatics (Honours)

Graduate Certificate of Health Science (Clinical Data Management)

This course is designed to provide health professionals with knowledge and skills in the management of clinical data used in clinical trials and other projects.

The course is suitable for nurses, health information managers, data managers and other health professionals working with, or planning to work with, clinical data and other health databases. A residential school is normally held at the beginning of Semester 2.

On successful completion of the Graduate Certificate program, students may apply to articulate into the Master of Health Science (Clinical Data Management) with credit transfer for units completed.

Admission requirements

In order to qualify for admission to the degree, applicants shall hold:

• a bachelor’s degree in an appropriate discipline from an Australian tertiary institution, or
• a bachelor’s degree in an appropriate discipline from an overseas institute equivalent to an Australian bachelor degree, or
• experience and/or a qualification as deemed appropriate by the head of academic unit.

Applicants must be able to demonstrate familiarity with major software such as Windows, word processing, a database package and a spreadsheet package.

Course outline

The course outline for the Graduate Certificate of Health Science (Clinical Data Management) is presented in Table 18.2. Unit descriptions and a list of faculty electives are found in Chapter 26.

Table 18.2: Graduate Certificate of Health Science (Clinical Data Management)

Master of Health Science (Clinical Data Management)

The Master of Health Science (Clinical Data Management) offers advanced study in the design and management of clinical trials and other related projects. The program provides participants with skills in designing systems that collect, combine, critically appraise, and quantitatively evaluate information in order to facilitate evidence based decisions regarding treatment and/or health policy.

To make the course easily accessible to working participants, five units of study are offered by distance education and the remainder of the program is presented via a range of flexible modes including workshops and block teaching.

A one-week residential school is normally held at the beginning of Semester 2. The option of an additional honours year is available. The honours program includes directed independent study via dissertation.

Admission requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in an appropriate discipline from an Australian tertiary institution or equivalent, or
• Experience and/or qualifications as deemed appropriate by the head of academic unit.
• Students who have undertaken the Graduate Certificate of Health Science (Clinical Data Management) are eligible for full credit for their study and can articulate to the master's program.

Course outline

The course outlines for the Master of Health Science (Clinical Data Management) pass and honours are presented in Tables 18.3 and 18.3.1. Unit descriptions and a list of faculty electives are found in Chapter 26.

Table 18.3: Master of Health Science (Clinical Data Management) Pass

Table 18.3.1: Master of Health Science (Clinical Data Management) Honours

Bachelor of Health Sciences/Master of Health Informatics

Note: There will be no further intakes to the combined Bachelor of Health Sciences/Master of Health Informatics. Students wishing to pursue a career in this field must first complete a three-year generalist degree such as the Bachelor of Health Sciences before progressing to the Master of Health Informatics.

Table 18.4: Bachelor of Health Sciences/Master of Health Informatics

Table 18.4.1: Bachelor of Health Sciences/Master of Health Informatics (Honours)