Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics

Introduction

Health Informatics bridges between Information Technology its practical applications using different technologies and tools. Health Informatics discipline focuses on imparting the practical knowledge and technical training which should enable students to harmonize theory with practice, concepts with applications, and problems with solutions in health care. In COMSATS Institute of Information Technology will prepare professionals. B.S. degree program in Health Informatics BS (HI) is a 4 year program that focuses on management, analysis and reporting on data and information from health systems including hospitals, Private Clinics, health insurance plans, government health providers and medical research, with the goal of using such data to improve patient care delivery. Students are prepared to turn healthcare data into useful information which will help to improve patient care and enhance fiscal and system efficiencies.

Graduates of this program will also develop management and technical skills to enhance the productivity in clinical decision support system, Project management, project design and research. With the rapid advancement in healthcare industry, the demand of healthcare professionals has increased. There are many obstacles to Health Informatics in Pakistan such as inadequate skills of health care personals, lack of physical infrastructure and restricted access to data. This degree program will present solutions and inject necessary manpower to healthcare industry.

Technologies that are Changing Health Care

Today, health informatics and technology, a discipline that combines information systems, data, communications and medical care are revolutionizing the health care industry, as the majority of medical institutions become compliant with the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH)., health care facilities are now required to maintain electronic records for every patient, giving researchers, clinicians, and medical facilities access to data they have never been able to leverage before.  Now, the possibilities this data holds for human health are being explored from every angle. Here are eight ways health informatics and technology will shape the future.

1. M- Health: the use of mobile technology for patient care is offering a much more convenient patient experience and streamlining care. An increasing array of mobile apps are enabling patients to better manage their health, communicate with healthcare providers, schedule appointments, and access health information. The technology is also helping providers improve patient compliance with tools that provide remote monitoring of certain health conditions and medical devices, Well frame, Retrofit, Med Wand, Well Doc, Pager, Oscar Health and Home team are just a handful of mobile technology companies that are working on applications to transform how doctors and patients interact in the modern era.
2. Telemedicine: much like m- Health deals with virtual communication between patient and physician. With telemedicine, doctors are able to see and treat patients through video conferencing, eliminating the need for patients to drive to a physician’s office or clinic. Telemedicine is a boon for the thousands of people every year who don’t have access to medical care because they live in a remote location, lack transportation options, or are not ambulatory. In recent years, some medical centers have even expanded their telemedicine capabilities to the surgical suite – remotely performing intricate robotic surgeries on patients many miles away – or even around the world.
3. Interoperable Healthcare Information Technology (HIT) Systems: Interoperability, “the extent to which systems and devices can exchange data, and interpret that shared data,” according to the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), is still a pipe dream for the health care industry. Yet, it is a goal that those in the industry are working steadily toward achieving. In order to gain the most benefit from the new influx of patient data and realize the full potential of the healthcare informatics movement, systems and networks must be interoperable. The healthy and open flow of information among health care practitioners, patients and networks will ultimately lead to better health care and more informed patients who are in charge of their own health.
4. Wearables: offer yet another avenue beyond electronic patient records to collect data, increase prevention and improve health outcomes for users. The smart watch and Fit bit are two of the most well-known wearable’s but there are many more on the market and currently in development that monitor everything from sleep and rest patterns to heart rate and calories. As the wearable’s industry continues to expand, developers are looking at ways to take the technology even further, beyond just monitoring fitness and activity levels. “For instance, Intel teamed up with the Michael J. Fox Foundation to use wearable’s to find certain characteristics of Parkinson’s disease,” according to Tech Republic.

Justification B.S Health Informatics B.S (HI)

There is no other Major in the Bachelor of Health Informatics which covers these areas. The current major in Informatics from the Bachelor of Science does not cover this specific area related to health care or biomedical research informatics or Bio-informatics , Core skills and knowledge will be developed in: information management and systems principles and practices; information technology concepts and applications; health systems structure and organization; health information attributes and standards

Health informatics focuses on issues related to collecting, storing and analyzing medical information in a digital format. Combining medical knowledge with engineering, informatics and communication systems, health informatics develops procedures that help improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare and health reforms.

A health informatics specialist can perform tasks such as managing electronic records of patients, or exploring patient data to identify trends in disease and treatment.

A flexible curriculum so students can choose an area of specialization To suit their career interests. Career choices after graduation include working in health related nonprofit organizations, governmental and community agencies, medical records, patient education, geriatric care settings, diagnostic laboratories, hospitals, the pharmaceutical industry, medical and wellness facilities and business.

Students graduating with this degree may enter the workforce: To continue their education in a variety of fields that might include advanced degree programs in Health Management, Physical or Occupational Therapy, Health Administration, Healthcare Informatics, Communication Disorders and Social Work to name a few (This degree has greater social sciences, business and humanities focus than the more natural science and mathematics intensive degrees required for the professional colleges in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy or veterinary medicine).

Students who complete the Health Informatics major: It will be able to integrate and apply the fundamentals of information and communication technology, information science, computer science and knowledge management to formulate and solve problems in healthcare, biomedical research and public health.

Graduates of health informatics are expected: To gain an in-depth understanding of the healthcare industry and to develop relevant programming skills. They will develop the knowledge of information system design and networking and keep up-to-date with the latest IT-based innovations in healthcare. Health informatics specialists require analytical skills that will aid them in gathering and organizing medical information. They will develop strong strategic planning and management abilities, as they work on optimizing access to information in the healthcare industry.

B.S Health Informatics will lead MS and PhD Program a secured successful career will be developed

In Pakistan Health care sector after introduce PM Health Insurance program, to maintain health Record and payment of physician health service, BS (HI) major rule for success health service at grass root level.  B.S (HI) highly demands in future in health care market.

Eligibility Criteria: Admission in B.S. (HI) Program

As per CIIT Polices for Admission in under graduates Program

• Higher Secondary School Certificate, with Biology or equivalent qualifications (A-level).
• Minimum 60 % marks.
• NTS marks 50%.

Duration Degree Program

• The BS Health Informatics Degree would be a 04-year program spread over 08 semesters.
• Minimum Required Credit Hours (142) is per rules of H.E.C

Hospital Training (20%)

Students enrolled in BS (HI) Program should register for these courses for the Academic terms indicated)(Practicum) in Hospitals or Clinical Sites).at SZABMU-PIMS.(02 days weeks per semester & last semester 12weeks)

• Clinical Practicum I 03 credits Summer I Term
• Clinical Practicum II 03 credits Summer I Term
• Clinical Practicum III 03 credits Summer II Term
• Clinical Practicum IV 03 credits Summer I Term

Eligibility for Higher Studies: The BS degree in Health Informatics shall enable the students to pursue higher education in the following fields:

• MS in Health Informatics
• MS in Public Health Informatics
• MS in Biomedical Research
• MS in Clinical Research
• PhD in Health Informatics / Public Health Informatics /Clinical Research

Faculty Requirement: Regular faculty available according to number of students enrolled in each new semester.

• The Department will hire new faculty if need before the commencement of this pr
• The courses of first 03-04 semesters of proposed program can be taught by our existing faculty.
• In Partial Training (SZABMU/PIMS) the principal training consultant of subject will responsible of training.

Scheme of Studies

1. Minimum Duration: 04 Years
2. Minimum No. of Semesters: 08 Semesters

Course Work

I- Core Courses (Min No. of Courses)

• Health Informatics Courses 18
• Institutional Courses 05
• Allied Courses 04
• Basic Health Sciences 06

Total 33

II- Elective Courses 16

Total No. of Courses of the Program: 49

Total No. of Credit Hours of the Program: 147

Total No. of Credit Hours Training in SZABMU-PIMS:

(02 days-weeks per semester & summer semester 12 weeks) = 12

Total No. of Credit Hours of the Program+ Clinical Training: 147+12= 159

Note: The Regulations relating to Undergraduate Degree Program approved by the CIIT Competent Authority amended from time to time shall also be applicable to this program.

Course work: CIIT 80% and Hospital Training: SZABMU-PIMS 20%.

HEC will be approved course work &training, Basic Health Informatics program Students enrolled in BS (HI) Program should register for these courses for the Academic terms indicated).

(Practicum) in Hospitals or Clinical Sites).at SZABMU-PIMS.

• Clinical Practicum I 03 credits Summer I Term
• Clinical Practicum II 03 credits Summer II Term
• Clinical Practicum III 03 credits Summer III Term
• Clinical Practicum IV 03 credits Summer IV Term

Health Informatics Core Courses (18)

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Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours (54)
HIS101	Introduction to Healthcare Informatics	03
HIS102	Healthcare Information Security	03
HIS103	Fundamental Health Information Management System in HI	03
HIS104	Quality Assurance in Health Informatics	03
HIS201	Privacy and Security in Health Informatics	03
HIS202	HIMS Systems Analysis, Implementation and Maintenance	03
HIS203	Basic Electronic Health Record System	03
HIS204	Fundamental Geographic Information System in HI	03
HIS205	Statistical Process Control in Healthcare	03
HIS301	Database Management Systems in Healthcare	03
HIS302	Health Data-Vocabulary and Standards	03
HIS303	Fundamental m-Health in Health Informatics	03
HIS304	Fundamental Physics for Medical Imaging	03
HIS 401	Principles of Leadership in Health Care	03
HIS 402	Fundamental Medical Imaging in HI	03
HIS 403	Introduction to Health Data Classification and Coding Systems	03
HIS 404	Research Methodology in Health Informatics	03
HIS 405	Introduction to Health Services Research	03

Health Informatics Elective Courses (16)

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours (51)
HIS 117	Ethical Issues in Health Informatics	03
HIS118	Human Resources Management in Healthcare	03
HIS 119	Fundamentals of Healthcare Finance	03
HIS120	Basic Epidemiology in HI	03
HIS121	Healthcare Information Flow and Data Management	03
HIS122	Fundamental Software Engineering in HI	03
HIS123	Introduction Health Policy and Administration	03
HIS124	Internet and web Technology Application in HI	03
HIS 125	Fundamental Health Economics	03
HIS 126	Medical Terminology and Healthcare Classifications	03
HIS 127	Introduction to Information and Communication Technologies	03
HIS 128	Health care Data Analysis	03
HIS 129	Medical Decision Making and Decision Support Systems	03
HIS 130	Professional Skills in HI	03
HIS 131	Behavioral Sciences in HI	03
HIS 132	Project*	06

Health Informatics Institutional Courses (05)

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours (15)
HUM111	Pakistan Studies	03
HUM112	Islamic studies	03
HUM100	English  (Functional English)	03
HUM102	Report Writing Skills	03
HUM113	Communication Skill	03

Health Informatics Allied Elective Courses (04)

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours (12)
CSC339	Computer Communication and Networks	3(2,1)
CSC271	Database Systems	3(2,1)
CSC103	Introduction to Computer Literacy and Programming	3(2,1)
MHT102	Mathematics – (Calculus)	3(2,1)

Health Informatics Basic Health Sciences Courses (06)

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours (18)
HIS 441	Anatomy-I	03
HIS442	Physiology-I	03
HIS 443	Biochemistry-I	03
HIS444	Anatomy-II	03
HIS 445	Physiology-II	03
HIS 446	Biochemistry-II	03

Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics B.S (H.I) 04-year Program (08 Semesters)

Semester I

S. No	Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours	Pre-requisite
1	HIS 101	Introduction to Healthcare Informatics	3(3,0)
2	HIS 102	Healthcare Information Security	3(3,0)
3	HIS441	Anatomy-I	3(2,1)
4	HUM100	English ( functional)	3(3,0)
5	HUM110	Islamic Studies	3(3,0)
6	HUM111	Pakistan Studies	3(3, 0)
		Total	18(16,2)

Semester 2

S. No	Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours	Pre-requisite
1	HIS 103	Fundamental Health Information  management System in HI	3(3,0)
2	HIS 201	Privacy and Security in HI	3(2,1)
3	HIS 444	Anatomy-II	3(3,0)	HIS441
4	HIS 442	Physiology-I	3(3,0)
5	HIS443	Biochemistry -I	3(3,0)
6	HUM102	Report Writing Skills	3(3,0)	HUM100
		Total	18(17,1)

HOSPITAL TRAINING (2-DAYS PER WEEK) SUMMER 03(0, 3) Practicum-I

Semester 3

S. No	Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours	Pre-requisite
1	HIS 104	Quality Assurance in Health Care.	3(3,0)
2	HIS 445	Physiology-II	3(3,0)	HIS 442
4	HIS446	Biochemistry-II	3(2,1)	HIS 443
5	HIS301	Basic Standard in HI	3(2,1)
6	HUM103	Communication skills	3(3,0)
		Total	15(13,2)

Semester 4

S. No	Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours	Pre-requisite
1	HIS 202	HIMS Systems Analysis, Implementation and Maintenance	3(3,0)
2	HIS 205	 Environment and professional Skills  in HI	3(3,0)
3	HIS 121	Healthcare Information Flow and Data Management	3(3,0)
4	HIA117	Ethical Issues in Health Informatics	3(3,0)
5	CSC 103	Introduction to Computer Literacy and Programming	3(3,0)
6	HIS  304	Fundamental Physics for Medical Imaging	3(3,0)
Total			18(18,0)

HOSPITAL TRAINING (2-DAYS PER WEEK) SUMMER3(0, 3)Practicum-II

Semester 5

S. No	Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours	Pre-requisite
1	HIS302	Health Data- Vocabulary and Standards	3(3,0)
2	HIS301	Database Management Systems in Healthcare	3(3,0)
3	HIS 402	Fundamental  Medical Imaging in HI	3(2,1)
4	HIS 119	Fundamentals of  Healthcare Finance	3(3,0)
5	CSC 339	Computer Communication and Networks	3(3,0)
Total			16(15,1)

Semester 6

S. No	Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours	Pre-requisite
1	HIS 401	Principles of Leadership in Health Care	3(3,0)
2	HIS 123	Introduction Health Policy and Administration	3(3,0)
3	HIS 403	Introduction to Health Data Classification and Coding Systems	3(3,0)
4	CSC 271	Data base System	3(2,1)
5	HIS 129	Medical  Decision making and Decision Support System	3(3,0)
6	HIS118	Human Resource Management in Health Care	3(3, 0)
Total			18(18,0)

HOSPITAL TRAINING (2-DAYS PER WEEK) SUMMER  3(0, 3) Practicum-III

Semester 7

S. No	Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours	Pre-requisite
1	HIS131	Behavioral Sciences in HI	3(3,0)
2	HIS 128	Health care Data Analysis	3(2,1)
3	HIS120	Basic Epidemiology	3(3,0)
4	MHT 102	Mathematics (Calculus)	3(3,0)
5	HIS 303	Fundamental m-Health in Health Informatics	3(3,0)
6	HIS 122	Fundamental Soft were Engineering in HI	3(3,0)
Total			18(17,1)

Semester 8

S. No	Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours	Pre-requisite
1	HIS 404	Research Methodology in Health Informatics	4(0,4)
2	HIS 125	Fundamental Health Economics	3(3,0)
3	HIS 131	Research Project	6(6,0)
4	HIS 405	Introduction to Health Services Research	3(3,0)
Total			16(12,4)

HOSPITAL TRAINING (2-DAYS PER WEEK) SUMMER 6(0, 6) Practicum-IV

Note for Elective Course(s):

* Shows here the elective courses with minimum permissible denomination of credit hours i.e. 03(3, 0). However, the students have the choice to choose any elective course from the approved list of electives/courses with credit hours as 3(02, 1) or with credit hours of higher denominations i.e.3 (02, 1).The students have the freedom to choose elective courses, whether existing or those approved/added subsequently, in the list of electives/course catalogue

General Note:

• In semester’s system, courses normally defined in terms of credit hours. Some courses have further subdivision into theory and Hospital Training. One credit hour of theory is normally equal to one lecture hour in the class room per week per semester. One credit hour of hospital work, however, is equivalent to three contact hours in the hospital per week per semester
• Courses with prerequisites can only be registered if the prerequisite courses have been passedHospital Training 20%. (During Summer Semester)

Project* depicts that project registered and is shown as IP for Students until the project is completed.

• Final Year Project is evaluated upon completion of total 6(0, 6) credit hours
• The above semester plan is for guidance only; a campus may offer courses according to their needs/resources, keeping in view the pre-requisite requirements.
• Semester Program is provisional, finial with concern subject expert teacher.

General Education/Institutional Core Courses (21 Credit Hours)
#	Course Code	Pre-Requisite	Course Title	Credit Hours	Proposed Semester
1	HUM100		English Comprehension and Composition	3 (3, 0)	1
2	HUM110		Islamic Studies	3 (3, 0)	1
3	HUM111		Pakistan Studies	3 (3, 0)	1
4	MGT101		Introduction to Management	3(3, 0)	2
5	HUM		Introduction to Sociology	3 (3, 0)	2
6	HUM102	HUM100	Report Writing Skills	3 (3, 0)	2
7	HUM103		Communication Skills	3 (3, 0)	3

*Course Outline of courses approved from Humanities Department

General Education/Institutional Core Courses (21 Credit Hours)
#	Course Code	Pre-Requisite	Course Title	Credit Hours	Proposed Semester
1	HUM220		Introduction to Psychology	3 (3, 0)	1
			Foreign Languages
2	HUM430		French	3 (3, 0)	1
4	HUM431		German	3(3, 0)	2
5	HUM432		Arabic	3 (3, 0)	2
6	HUM433		Persian	3 (3, 0)	2

*Course Outline of courses approved from Humanities Department