Course Syllabus

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Course Description

This graduate level introductory course provides an overview to healthcare quality from the view of information science and the discipline of informatics. It takes a patient centered approach that covers the complexities of quality and the scientific basis for understanding the measurement and improvement of quality, including exposure to multiple measures from a variety of organizations and measure comparison sites such as Medicare Compare. It provides the learner with a framework for key theories and concepts, and models of quality improvement. Students will be introduced to the health information technology safety issues, including tools for operationalizing HIT safety. Learners will be introduced to data quality, the challenges of data from devices, e-quality measures, as well as experience the challenge of calculating quality measures with data from the EHR. The merging of quality outcomes with evolving reimbursement paradigms and models will be examined.

Learning Objectives

Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:

• Master the fundamentals of health care quality management
• Analyze the measurement, assessment and improvement of health care quality
• Evaluate health care quality e-measures for electronic reporting
• Determine the influence of health information technology on health care quality
• Outline threats to patient safety from HIT
• Identify options for remediating threats to patient safety from HIT
• Produce a quality measure from a nationally available dataset

Instructor Information

Susan Fenton, PhD, RHIA, FAHIMA
Assistant Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Office Location: UCT 690
Email: Susan.H.Fenton@uth.tmc.edu
Office Phone: 713-500-3931
Office Hours: Wednesday, from 7 – 8 pm in GoToMeeting or by appointment set up via email

Here is the GoToMeeting info:

---GoToMeeting invitation begins---

Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.

https://www.gotomeeting.com/join/987661645

You can also dial in using your phone.

United States: +1 (872) 240-3311

Access Code: 987-661-645

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Graduate Teaching Assistant

Regina Wysocki, BSN, RN

Master of Science Candidate in Applied Health Informatics
Email: Mary.R.Wysocki@uth.tmc.edu
Cell: 281-468-1601 (Can call and/or text)
Office Hours: by appointment via email

Full Bio for Susan Fenton, PhD, RHIA, FAHIMA on SBMI Website