Healthcare IT Foundations — Open & Free

Learning objectives by module

Unit 2: Healthcare Environment

• Module 3: Healthcare Delivery Organizations
  • Describe the administrative and functional organization of entities that deliver healthcare in the United States in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
  • Describe the roles of and customers served by various types of healthcare organizations.
  • Describe the services provided to unique populations, including underserved populations.
  • Explain how healthcare organizations interact with each other and with patients to provide appropriate levels of care.
  • Explain how Healthy People 2020 advances health promotion and disease prevention.
  • Explain public health and how it has improved healthcare.
  • Explain the basic characteristics and organization of the US healthcare delivery system.
  • Identify current and future trends in the US healthcare delivery system and their potential impact on healthcare organizations and populations served.
• Module 4: Healthcare Payment Systems
  • Analyze factors responsible for escalating healthcare expenditures in the United States.
  • Compare and contrast models of healthcare financing in the United States.
  • Describe healthcare financing structures, including insurance plans, third-party payers, Medicare, and Medicaid.
  • Describe the history and role of the health insurance industry in financing healthcare in the United States.
  • Describe the main state and federal laws regulating US healthcare insurance organizations and discuss their impact on the healthcare system.
  • Describe the trends in healthcare financing and their impact on various populations.
  • Distinguish between public and private funding for healthcare.
  • Explain a typical billing process and the use of coding and code sets.
  • Identify different fee-for-service and episode-of-care reimbursement methodologies used by insurers in the claims payment process.
  • Identify methods of controlling rising medical costs.
• Module 5: Roles of Healthcare Professionals
  • Describe the changing roles of and interactions between health professionals.
  • Describe the education, training, certification, licensure, and roles of nurses, advanced practice nurses, licensed practical nurses, medical assistants, and medication aides.
  • Describe the education, training, certification, licensure, and roles of paramedics, emergency medical technicians, dental professionals, mental health professionals, and case managers and social workers.
  • Describe the education, training, certification, licensure, and roles of physicians, including those in primary care and other specialties.
  • Describe the primary roles of a health information management professional.
  • Explain terms used in healthcare and in health professionals’ education and training, including clinician, patient, disease, and syndrome.
  • Identify key elements of an effective job description.
• Module 6: Government Regulation
  • Describe key components of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and current issues of patient privacy and security in the United States.
  • Describe legal aspects of medicine involving the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, professional standards in healthcare, and medical malpractice.
  • Describe the provisions of the ARRA HITECH Act relative to Adoption of EHRs.
  • Describe the provisions of the ARRA HITECH Act relative to meaningful use.
  • Explain the roles of accreditation entities, regulatory bodies, and professional associations in healthcare in the United States.

Unit 3: Professionalism and Communication Skills

• Module 7: Business and Communication Ethics
  • Describe how diversity in patient populations and healthcare providers impacts healthcare delivery and communication.
  • Explain how ethics and standards impact the profession of health information technology.
  • Explain the elements of project communication planning that contribute to a successful project.
  • Explain the role of ethics in the healthcare environment.
• Module 8: Teams and Team Building
  • Analyze team conflict and performance.
  • Describe guidelines for building and leading teams.
  • Describe the characteristics of successful teams.
  • Describe the roles of teams in healthcare and the application of collaborative tools and techniques.
  • Describe ways that HIT design can support or serve as a barrier to effective communication in teams.
  • Explain the roles of teams in delivering quality healthcare services.
• Module 9: Professionalism and Customer Service
  • Describe the different components of HIT customer service.
  • Explain the use of metrics in HIT customer service.
  • Explain strategies for ensuring positive, productive customer service interactions in an HIT environment.
  • Identify ways to assist angry or difficult customers in a professional, productive manner.
  • Describe strategies for clear, effective written communication.