Health and Biomedical Informatics

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

170 hours

One or more life sciences subjects, e.g. biochemistry, genetics, cell biology, animal health, microbiology.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Health and biomedical informatics is the body of knowledge that concerns the acquisition, storage, retrieval and use of information in, about and for human health, and the design and management of related information systems to advance the understanding and practice of healthcare, public health and biomedical research.

In recent years the collection, storage and usage of electronic health (ehealth) and biomedical data has exponentially grown. Increases in the complexity and comprehensiveness of health and biomedical information systems have driven growth in demand for a specialised workforce.

Careers in health informatics and ehealth could involve developing systems, analysing data, conducting research and applying health information systems in clinical practice, biomedical research, public health as well as in the ehealth sector of IT industry.

This kind of work involves a specialist workforce and is also of importance to health professionals (nurses, doctors, allied health, pharmacy, public health, etc), health managers and policy makers.

This subject introduces the field of health and biomedical informatics and provides students with the basic knowledge and skills to pursue professional certification as a health informatician.

To gain a general knowledge of several aspects related to the discipline of Health and Biomedical Informatics, namely:

• Core principles of the discipline
• Health sciences
• Information sciences
• Management science
• Information and communication technology
• Human and social context

Therefore after the completion of this subject, students should be able to pursue professional certification as health informaticians.

• Written review of assigned reading (500 words) during semester 10%
• Mid-semester test (1000 word equivalent) during semester 20%
• Project report (1500 words) and class presentation (10 minutes) for a group of 2 students during semester 20%
• Written examination (2 hrs – 2000 words equivalent), held at the end of semester 50%

To pass the subject the students must obtain at least:

50% overall
5/10 in the written review of the assigned reading
10/20 in the mid-semester tests
10/20 in the project work
25/50 in the end-of-semester written examination

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.