Overview
This course examines the design, implementation, governance, and evaluation of health data systems across clinical, public health, community, and population settings. It addresses electronic health records, health information exchanges, registries, laboratory and claims systems, surveillance platforms, interoperability, data standards, terminologies, metadata, provenance, privacy, security, consent, governance, and data lifecycle management.
Students apply implementation science, mixed-methods evaluation, usability assessment, data quality analysis, and equity-focused inquiry to health data systems. The course develops competence in constructing logic models and theories of change; defining process, outcome, cost, sustainability, and performance measures; planning data collection and management; assessing validity, reliability, completeness, timeliness, and representativeness; and communicating evidence-based recommendations to technical and nontechnical audiences.
Learning Outcomes
- Map health information flows across clinical, public health, community, and population health systems.
- Evaluate the roles of interoperability standards, terminologies, metadata, provenance, and lifecycle controls in assuring usable health data.
- Identify privacy, security, consent, governance, ethical, and equity risks within health data system architectures.
- Design an evaluation framework incorporating a logic model, theory of change, evaluation questions, indicators, and appropriate mixed-methods approaches.
- Analyze quantitative, qualitative, and participatory evidence to assess data quality, usability, system performance, implementation, and outcomes.
- Assess the validity, reliability, completeness, timeliness, and representativeness of health data for specified purposes.
- Develop data collection, management, documentation, and quality assurance plans aligned with evaluation objectives.
- Synthesize evaluation findings and recommend feasible improvements addressing effectiveness, equity, cost, sustainability, and governance.
- Communicate health data system evidence and recommendations clearly to technical, clinical, policy, community, and executive audiences.
Timetable
| Type | Length | Frequency | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 2 hours | Weekly | All semester |
| Workshop | 2 hours | Weekly | All semester |
| Seminar | 2 hours | Fortnightly | All semester |
Assessment Schedule
| Type | Description | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Assignment | Health information flow and governance mapping report | 20.00% |
| Assignment | Evaluation framework and indicator design | 25.00% |
| Assignment | Data quality and system performance analysis | 20.00% |
| Deliverable | Evaluation findings briefing for technical and nontechnical stakeholders | 15.00% |
| Capstone | Final integrated evaluation report | 20.00% |
Prerequisites
Teaching Staff & Programs
This course is delivered jointly by faculty from the participating programs listed below. In line with the Douchewater Way, the University of Sexology tailors core instruction directly to each cohort's specific discipline — adapting curriculum to program needs rather than forcing students into a one-size-fits-all model. Learn more about our approach at The Douchewater Way.