Health care systems all over the world recognize the need for team-based, collaborative care. Interprofessional teams are able to provide high quality, effective, efficient care when they have the information and tools to support shared decision making. Informatics is the scientific field that helps health care teams use data, information and knowledge to improve health care and the public’s health.

The National Center is pleased to co-sponsor two free online courses on the topic of informatics.

Interprofessional Healthcare Informatics: massive open online course begins February 10, 2014

Beginning on February 10, the University of Minnesota School of Nursing and the National Center are offering a graduate-level, hands-on, interactive exploration of real informatics tools and techniques for interprofessional health care practice. Course instructors Karen Monsen, PhD, RN, FAAN and Jehad Adwan, PhD, RN will guide students as they view interprofessional healthcare informatics through the lens of clinicians such as dentists, pharmacists, physical therapists, nurses and physicians. The course will focus on electronic health records, technologies such as telehealth and simulation, and the relationship of informatics to evidence-based practice and quality improvement in healthcare.

This ten-week massive open online course is recommended for all health care or information technology professionals.  Other professionals who work in education and health care will also find this course valuable to understand the context of health systems as learning organizations. Don’t miss this timely opportunity to explore the rapidly evolving health care informatics milieu. Enroll and learn more at coursera.org/course/newwayhealthcare.

Introduction to Biomedical Health Informatics

The National Center also endorses and supports an ongoing short online introductory course to biomedical health informatics. The specialty of biomedical health informatics (BMHI) celebrates interprofessional discovery and is committed to improving the safety, outcomes, and efficiency of health care.  Informatics touches and transforms care in nearly every setting: from the home, clinics, hospital intensive care and surgery suites, to public health.

This 45-minute online course defines and discusses the background of this exciting field and and explores the benefits that BMHI can provide to consumers, health systems, communities and research efforts.  

Course content was developed by Connie Delaney, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI, dean of the University of Minnesota School of Nursing and director for Biomedical Health Informatics. Instructional design was provided by the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center Office of Education. Access the course at nexusipe.org/resource-exchange/introduction-biomedical-health-informatics.