Prereq: consent of instructor. An overview of the field of medical informatics, combining perspectives from medicine, computer science and social science. Use of computers and information in health care and the biomedical sciences, covering specific applications and general methods, current issues, capabilities and limitations of medical informatics. Medical Informatics studies the organization of medical information, the effective management of information using computer technology, and the impact of such technology on medical research, education, and patient care. The field explores techniques for assessing current information practices, determining the information needs of health care and biomedical research professionals and other workers and patients, developing systems using computer technology, and evaluation of the impact of these systems. The course covers a wide range of medical informatics applications relevant for health care delivery organizations, governmental agencies, biomedical researchers, and commercial entities. The course provides a comprehensive overview of major medical informatics techniques aimed to optimize the use of information in order to improve the quality of health care, reduce cost, provide better education for providers and patients, and to conduct medical research more effectively. 4 cr, on demand.

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