Digital Transformation of Health (ISYS90069)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville) and Online

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Overview

Availability
Semester 1 - On Campus
July - Online
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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

DescriptionTimingPercentage

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.

  • 40-45 hours
Hurdle requirement: Students must pass this assessment to pass the subject.		From Week 2 to Week 430%

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.

  • 60 hours
Hurdle requirement: Students must pass this assessment to pass the subject.		From Week 6 to Week 840%

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.

  • 12 hours
Hurdle requirement: Students must pass this assessment to pass the subject.		Throughout the teaching period30%

Semester 1

DescriptionTimingPercentage

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.

  • 40-45 hours
Hurdle requirement: Students must pass this assessment to pass the subject.		From Week 3 to Week 930%

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.

  • 60 hours
Hurdle requirement: Students must pass this assessment to pass the subject.		From Week 12 to Week 1440%

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.

  • 12 hours
Hurdle requirement: Students must pass this assessment to pass the subject.		Throughout the teaching period30%

Last updated: 4 March 2025

Dates & times

  • Semester 1 - On Campus
    CoordinatorMike Conway
    Mode of deliveryOn Campus (Parkville)
    Contact hours36 hours, 1 x 2-hour lecture + 1 x 1-hour tutorial
    Total time commitment200 hours
    Teaching period 3 March 2025 to 1 June 2025
    Last self-enrol date14 March 2025
    Census date31 March 2025
    Last date to withdraw without fail 9 May 2025
    Assessment period ends27 June 2025

    Semester 1 contact information

    Mike Conway

    mike.conway@unimelb.edu.au

  • July - Online
    CoordinatorDaniel Capurro Nario
    Mode of deliveryOnline
    Contact hours36 hours - 2 x 2-hour lectures per week and 2 x 1-hour tutorials per week
    Total time commitment200 hours
    Teaching period 7 July 2025 to 15 August 2025
    Last self-enrol date15 July 2025
    Census date18 July 2025
    Last date to withdraw without fail 8 August 2025
    Assessment period ends15 August 2025

    July contact information

    Daniel Capurro Nario

    dcapurro@unimelb.edu.au

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

    Prescribed texts

    Readings will be provided online.

  • 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:

    TypeName
    CourseMaster of Clinical Research
    CourseMaster of Public Health
    CourseGraduate Certificate in Health Informatics and Digital Health
    CourseMaster of Biostatistics
    CourseGraduate Diploma in Biostatistics
  • 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

    This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.

Last updated: 4 March 2025