92917 Using Health Care Data for Decision Making

Subject level: Postgraduate

Handbook description

This subject provides a supervised experiential opportunity for the graduate student with an interest in clinical or managerial decision making in the health services sector to explore and manipulate 'real' patient data to both generate and answer questions. The focus may be managerial, clinical or integrated between these two. Theoretical input is limited to allow for more in-depth use of the database. The subject helps students to develop the ability to generate and answer research questions and make decisions based on available health sector data.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. appreciate the value of administrative data from information systems in making management decisions
2. demonstrate understanding of the relationship between data, information and knowledge to inform practice, management and policy decision making
3. understand the conceptual base of database construction in administrative data sets
4. describe and appreciate the data elements in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) coding system, Australian Refined Diagnosis Related Groups (AR-DRG), case mix and other data sets
5. access and manipulate supplied data in order to generate reports and make recommendations
6. understand the concepts underlying current and likely future directions of health informatics practice.

Content

• Coding systems such as the International Coding of Diseases and Australian Refined Diagnostic Related Groups
• Application of basic analytical techniques in Microsoft Excel
• Review of state and national aggregated data
• The relationship of data to costing systems
• Practical aspects of the collection and analysis of data in health systems
• Review of current and future applications of informatics
• Understanding Australian Refined Diagnosis Related Groups (AR-DRG) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) codes
• Using the UTS Hospital Data spreadsheet (in computer labs)
• Data concepts and analysis
• Fundamental research skills
• Collecting and using data in research and management
• Using aggregated national data (AIHW – in computer labs)
• Review of set readings
• Information systems
• Application of administrative data
• Electronic health record and other emerging systems