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Welcome to Health Informatics HSAD 5223 for Fall 2012
Please post a brief "bio" in the discussion section to check in and introduce yourself.
I will post the syllabus and assignments shortly.
Our texts this semester will be --
Glandon, GL, Smaltz, DH, & Slovensky, DJ, (2007) Austin & Boxerman's Information Systems for Healthcare Management, 7th edition.
ISBN: 9781567932973
Amazon link: http://tinyurl.com/bq7bgv3
Note: Don't quote me on this or the bookstore folks will kill me, but unless there's some catch I am not seeing, the entire textbook can be read free onlline at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/47440403/Austin-and-Boxerman#page=1
and
Andrews, J. & Dark, J., (2012), CompTIA Healthcare IT Technician HIT-001 Authorized Cert Guide.
A downloadable Kindle or PC version is available for $18 from Amazon.com.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008EK3A00/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_tmb
I encourage students who wish to develop their technical skills and knowledge, perhaps with the goal of seeking a career in Health Information Technology, to prepare for the CompTIA Healthcare IT Technician (HIT-001) certification exam.
In my opinion, this is the hottest field around. Job opportunities are growing exponentially. The challenge in breaking into any new career field is that employers want to hire someone with experience. However, you have to have to have a job in the field to gain experience.
Certification exams can be a way to demonstrate that you have acquired knowledge and skills that would usually only be gained through work experience.
Further information on the Healthcare IT Technician certification is available from http://www.comptia.org.
According to CompTIA (Computer Training Industry Association), you should have either CompTIA's "A+" certification or 500 hours of Health Information Technology work experience before attempting the HIT-001 exam.
I have CompTIA's "A+" certification. By itself, it would not be sufficient to pass the HIT-001 exam, since it is a technical certification with no health care focus.
The Healthcare IT Technician exam has some overlap with A+, but it is strongly focused on healthcare-specific issues, such as HIPAA compliance, expert diagnostic systems, electronic medical records, etc.
Don't let this intimidate you. I've passed lots of computer industry certification exams. It takes me about two weeks of serious, dedicated study to pass one in a new subject.
These certification exams are intended to be difficult. If they were easy, they would be of no value.
Certification exams are difficult, but not impossible. If you study the materials, you will pass the exam.
You are not required to take the HIT-001 exam as part of this course. However, if you have a serious interest in the field, I highly recommend it.
As an added incentive, any student who passes the Healthcare IT Technician (HIT-001) exam will be excused from all other assignments and the final, and will receive an automatic "A" for this course.
Vouchers for the exam cost $100. They are available from http://www.comptiastore.com/product_p/comptiahit.htm
There are numerous other certification exams available in Health Informatics and related disciplines. If you have an interest in taking one of them as an alternative, I am open to discussion.
Phil
Philip E. Plubell, MPH, ABD
Geek credentials -- Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE), CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, Microsoft Office Master Instructor
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