HCA 525: Epidemiology and Population Health Informatics

Course Description

This course is a comprehensive analysis of the U.S. health care delivery system including the interface with the public health system from a systems approach. This course introduces epidemiological principles and analytics for enhancing utilization management, quality improvement, and outcome assessment. This course covers topics within the core disciplines of public health and studies the distribution and determinants of health-related conditions for disease control using health information technology. (3 credits)

Associated Program Learning Outcome(s)

#12 Analyze global factors affecting the health care industry.

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

  1. Discuss community health and public health concepts including their role in the United States health care system.
  2. Examine how epidemiology is used to measure the status of populations by discussing communicable and non-communicable disease.
  3. Identify communicable and non-communicable diseases and efforts made to prevent and/or improve both.
  4. Analyze the role various health care settings play in the health care system.
  5. Develop a working knowledge of the US health care system’s function and perform an in-depth analysis of at least one health care reimbursement structure.
  6. Create a presentation describing the Quadruple Aim and how it is used in value-based payment methodologies.
  7. Discuss the criticality of information technology in providing data for population health management.
  8. Analyze the various social determinants of health and discuss how they impact the health of communities.
  9. Perform an analysis of the various social determinants of health data collection tools and discuss how they can be used to make meaningful change in the way health care is delivered.
  10. Demonstrate a working knowledge of potential interventions used for addressing the social determinants of health.

 

Course Activities and Grading

AssignmentsWeight

Discussions (Weeks 1, 2, 3. 5, 7 & 8)

12%

Assignments (Weeks 1-7)

77%

Quiz (Week 2)

4%

Final Assignment (Week 8)

7%

Total

100%

Required Textbooks

Available through Charter Oak State College's Book Bundle

  • McKenzie, James F. (2022). An Introduction to Community and Public Health with Access Code. 10th ed. Jones & Bartlett Publishers. ISBN-10: 1-284-20268-2 or ISBN-13: 978-1-284-20268-7

Course Schedule

Week

SLOs

Readings and Exercises

Assignments

1

1

Topics: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow and Definitions 

  • Readings:
    • Chapter 1
    • Chapter 2
  • Review course policies
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review assigned links
  • Review lecture material
  • Introduce yourself in discussion forum
  • Participate in discussions
  • Submit Week 1 Assignment - Healthy People 2030 Review

2

2

Topic: Epidemiology – Study of Disease, Injury, Death

  • Reading:
    • Chapter 3
  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review assigned links
  • Review lecture material
  • Participate in discussions
  • Submit Week 2 Quiz – Epidemiology
  • Submit the Week 2 Assignment - Public Health Informatics

3

3

Topics: Disease Prevention and Control and Community Organizing

  • Readings:
    • Chapter 4
    • Chapter 5

 

  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review assigned link
  • Review lecture material
  • Participate in discussions
  • Submit Week 3 Assignment - Disease Prevention and Control
  • Submit Week 3 Assignment - Compressed Mortality Databases

4

4

Topic: Structure of Health Care Delivery in the U.S.

  • Reading:
    • Chapter 13, pgs. 349-369

 

  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review assigned links
  • Review lecture material
  • Participate in discussions
  • Submit Week 4 Assignment - Health Care Delivery Settings Blog

5

5

Topic: Function and Reform of Health Care Delivery in the U.S.

  • Reading:
    • Chapter 13, pgs. 369-399
      • Skip section on "Quality of Health Care" 

 


 

  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review assigned links
  • Review lecture material
  • Participate in discussions
  • Submit Week 5 Assignment - Reimbursement Methodologies Wiki
  • Submit Week 5 Assignment - Merit-based Incentive Payment System

6

6,7

Topics: The Quadruple Aim

  • Reading:
    • Chapter 13, pgs. pgs. 372-375
  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review assigned links
  • Review lecture material
  • Participate in discussions
  • Submit Week 6 Assignment - Quadruple Aim Wiki
  • Submit Week 6 Assignment - Patient Generated Health Data

7

8, 9

Topics: Introduction to the Social Determinants of Health

  • Readings:
    • Chapter 10
    • Chapter 14

 

  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review assigned links
  • Review lecture material
  • Participate in discussions
  • Submit Week 7 Assignment - Social Determinants of Health Reflection Journal
  • Submit Week 7 Assignment - Health Literacy Action Plan

8

10

Topic: Addressing the Health-Related Social Needs

  • Review assigned links
  • Review lecture material
  • Participate in discussions
  • Submit Week 8 Assignment - Addressing the Health-Related Social Needs

COSC Accessibility Statement

Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.

COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources

Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.