Introduction to Biomedical Informatics

3.0 credits

This course serves as an introduction to biomedical informatics, as applied in research and in clinical practice. This course will provide a study of the nature of biomedical information and its capture, collection, storage, and use. Of particular interest in this course is the use of the electronic medical record (EMR) its use for research and its impact on health care delivery; the importance of computing or informatics specialists in medicine and research and the various roles they can play; and privacy, confidentiality and information security including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The course will also introduce students to concepts of Big Data, Machine Learning, and Health Care Analytics, particularly from the perspective of the informaticist responsible for managing data sources in these domains. Where relevant, the course will introduce students to additional information technologies (e.g., cloud storage and data visualization) useful in informatics practice.