Health informatics - needs, objectives and limitations, 5 credits

A Bachelor's degree or a professional degree equivalent to a Swedish Bachelor's degree of at least 180 credits in health care, biomedicine, medical technology, computer and systems sciences, informatics or the equivalent. And proficiency in English equivalent to English B/English 6.

On completion of the course the student should be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• describe the subject of health informatics, both as an academic discipline and its practical application in health care as well as its history and development,
• illustrate different health informatics applications within care, nursing and research,
• describe the role that health informatics plays in today´s health care.

Skills and ability

• work in an interdisciplinary collaboration and in international/multi-disciplinary constellations.

Assessment ability and attitudes

• analyse and assess the need of information management within care, nursing and research,
• develop and explain an international perspective for health informatics as a discipline.

The course describes the subject health informatics and its main aims and challenges - at present and in the future. The course gives an overview of different professional roles that a health informatician may have depending on work tasks at governments, in clinics, industry and/or research. The students work interdisciplinary in groups and develop an international  perspective on the subject by analyzing digital health strategies from different countries and reflecting on their future professional role.

Lectures, group work, workshops and seminars.

Oral presentation (Fail/Pass)
Written assignment (A-F)

The final grade on the course is based on the written assignment.

Compulsory participation
The course includes mandatory sessions marked in the course schedule. The examiner assesses if and, in that case, how absence from compulsory parts can be compensated. Before the student has participated in all compulsory parts or compensated absence in accordance with the examiner's instructions, the student's results for the course/respective part will not be registered. Absence from a compulsory part may result in the student having to wait to compensate until the next time the course is given.

Limitation of number of occasions to write the exam
Students who have not passed the regular examination are entitled to participate in five more examinations. If the student has not passed the exam after four participations he/she is encouraged to visit the study counsellor. If the student has failed six examinations/tests, no additional examination or new admission is provided.
The number of times that the student has participated in one and the same examination is regarded as an examination session. Submission of a blank examination is regarded as an examination. An examination for which the student registered but not participated in will not be counted as an examination. Delayed submission affects the possibility to receive a higher grade than C. An examination for which the student registered but not participated in will not be counted as an examination.

If there are special grounds, or a need for adaptation for a student with a disability, the examiner may decide to deviate from the syllabus's regulations on the examination form, the number of examination opportunities, the possibility of supplementation or exemptions from the compulsory section/s of the course etc. Content and learning outcomes as well as the level of expected skills, knowledge and abilities may not be changed, removed or reduced.

Examination will be provided during a time of two years after a possible cancellation of the course. Examination can take place according to an earlier literature list during a time of one year after the date when a major renewal of the literature list has been made.

Course evaluation will be carried out in accordance with the guidelines established by the Committee for Higher Education.

The course is given in English.