Digital Transformation of Health (ISYS90069)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville) and Online
About this subject
Contact information
Semester 1
Mike Conway
July
Daniel Capurro Nario
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 - On Campus July - Online |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
Healthcare is information intensive. Health data are generated, shared, consumed, and stored in a variety of partially overlapping complex networks. Healthcare lags behind many other sectors, despite efforts to use digital technologies to shape and improve health data and information processes since the middle of the 20th Century. The need for digital transformation of health is driven by socio-economic concerns (making healthcare more accessible and affordable) and patient safety (reducing medical errors, and redundant and ineffective interventions).
This subject introduces the background, current state, and future opportunities of digital health. It provides a basic understanding of health and disease and how individuals experience both. It explores the nature of biomedical data, information, and knowledge - and how digital technologies are shaping the way these are used. Digital health technologies are examined from ethical, historical, technological, and psycho-social perspectives, considering positive and negative impacts.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject the student is expected to:
- Explain complex aspects of the structure of healthcare, including the roles of patients, various professionals, insurance companies and governments
- Describe implications of the generation and use of biomedical data, information, and knowledge within a variety of relevant systems and settings
- Demonstrate understanding of how core digital health technologies work, through practical activities with simulations of tools such as electronic health records, clinical decision support systems, patient portals, and mobile apps and wearable sensors
- Critically analyse how various digital technologies can optimise information use within healthcare and summarise the potential risks associated with these solutions
- Apply ethical frameworks and conceptual models to critique contemporary digital health practices and trends
Generic skills
On completion of this subject, students should have developed the following generic skills:
- Clear thinking
- Improved reading
- Enhanced ability to work in a team of people, and
- Presentation skills
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
HLTH90006 Basics of Digital Health for Clinicians
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Assessment
July
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Three written reports of individual work on assigned practical activities. 300-400 words per report, 1000 words in total. 40-45 hours of work required. Due in weeks 2, 3 and 4 (10% each, 30% in total). Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO's) 1 to 3 are addressed in this assessment.
| From Week 2 to Week 4 | 30% |
One major project report. Work may be done by an Individual, or a team of up to four people is optional. Class presentation of 10 minutes for individual project PLUS written project report of 1500 words for an individual. Additional 5 minutes of presentation PLUS 1000 words each for second and subsequent team members. Presentation due in week 6. Written report due in week 8. Presentation 10%; written report 30% (40% in total). ILO's 4 and 5 are addressed in this assessment.
| From Week 6 to Week 8 | 40% |
Twelve short learning challenges embedded in lectures and tutorials, such as quizzes, discussion forum topics, small group tasks. Equivalent to 100 words per activity; 1200 words in total. Two assessable activity are offered each week from week 1 to week 6. 5% each; the student's 6 best results from these 12 activities will count for this assessment (30% in total). ILO's 1 to 5 will be addressed in this assessment.
| Throughout the teaching period | 30% |
Semester 1
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Three written reports of individual work on assigned practical activities. 300-400 words per report, 1000 words in total. 40-45 hours of work required. Due in weeks 3, 6 and 9 (10% each,30% in total). Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO's) 1 to 3 are addressed in this assessment.
| From Week 3 to Week 9 | 30% |
One major project report. Work may be done by an Individual, or a team of up to four people is optional. Class presentation of 10 minutes for individual project PLUS written project report of 1500 words for an individual. Additional 5 minutes of presentation PLUS 1000 words each for second and subsequent team members. Presentation due in week 12. Written report due in week 14. Presentation 10%; written report 30% (40% in total). ILO's 4 and 5 are addressed in this assessment.
| From Week 12 to Week 14 | 40% |
Twelve short learning challenges embedded in lectures and tutorials, such as quizzes, discussion forum topics, small group tasks. Equivalent to 100 words per activity; 1200 words in total. One assessable activity is offered each week from week 1 to week 12. 5% each; the student's 6 best results from these 12 activities will count for this assessment (30% in total). ILO's 1 to 5 will be addressed in this assessment.
| Throughout the teaching period | 30% |
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Dates & times
- Semester 1 - On Campus
Coordinator Mike Conway Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 36 hours, 1 x 2-hour lecture + 1 x 1-hour tutorial Total time commitment 200 hours Teaching period 3 March 2025 to 1 June 2025 Last self-enrol date 14 March 2025 Census date 31 March 2025 Last date to withdraw without fail 9 May 2025 Assessment period ends 27 June 2025 Semester 1 contact information
Mike Conway
- July - Online
Coordinator Daniel Capurro Nario Mode of delivery Online Contact hours 36 hours - 2 x 2-hour lectures per week and 2 x 1-hour tutorials per week Total time commitment 200 hours Teaching period 7 July 2025 to 15 August 2025 Last self-enrol date 15 July 2025 Census date 18 July 2025 Last date to withdraw without fail 8 August 2025 Assessment period ends 15 August 2025 July contact information
Daniel Capurro Nario
Time commitment details
200 hours
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Further information
- Texts
- Subject notes
LEARNING AND TEACHING METHODS
This subject is offered in semester 1 each year, as a 3 hour class one evening each week over a 12 week period, including lectures, tutorials and small group activities. Opportunities are provided for online interaction during class using students’ personal internet-connected devices.
Classroom teaching is complemented by a subject website in the University Learning Management System. Students unable to attend class on campus can participate each week, by going online to access lecture slides and recordings, undertake practical activities, and complete assessable work.
This subject is also offered for intensive fully online study over a 6-week period in Winter Term (June-July) each year, including lectures, tutorials and small group activities. Student learning is supported by a subject website in the University Learning Management System.INDICATIVE KEY LEARNING RESOURCES
This subject has no prescribed textbook. Students have access to electronic full-text of recommended readings, including current journal articles, e-books, government documents and industry reports. Examples:
Australasian Institute of Digital Health. https://digitalhealth.org.au/
Australian Digital Health Agency. What is Digital Health? https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/get-started-with-digital-health/what-is-digital-health
Collen, M. F. (1994). The origins of informatics. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 1(2), 91-107. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC116189/pdf/0010091.pdf
Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society. https://www.himss.org/
Regenstrief Institute. EHR Clinical learning platform. https://www.regenstrief.org/implementation/clinical-learning/
Wachter, R. M. (2015). The digital doctor: hope, hype, and harm at the dawn of medicine's computer age. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.
World Health Organization. Digital health and innovation. https://www.who.int/health-topics/digital-health
CAREERS/INDUSTRY LINKS
This subject provides fundamental knowledge and practical skills to work in digital health. This subject is offered jointly by the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, and makes local and international links with accomplished researchers and with experts from public and private sector organisations.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Please note Single Subject Studies via Community Access Program is not available to student visa holders or applicants
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
Subject coordinator approval required.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
Last updated: 4 March 2025