Online Internship Program in Health Informatics

This internship program offers university students practical exposure to the interdisciplinary field of Health Informatics, combining healthcare, information technology, and data analytics. The course provides a solid foundation in health data systems, electronic health records (EHR), interoperability, privacy laws, and AI applications in healthcare. Students will gain real-world experience through a simulated capstone project aligned with current industry practices.

Detailed Course Content:

Module 1: Introduction to Health Informatics

• Overview of Health Informatics and its Importance
• History and Evolution of Healthcare IT
• Healthcare Stakeholders and Ecosystem
• Roles and Careers in Health Informatics

Module 2: Health Information Systems

• Electronic Health Records (EHR) and EMR
• Health Information Exchange (HIE)
• Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS)
• Standards and Protocols (HL7, FHIR)

Module 3: Health Data Analytics

• Types of Health Data: Structured vs Unstructured
• Data Cleaning and Preparation in Healthcare
• Introduction to Statistical Tools and Visualization
• Predictive Modeling in Public Health

Module 4: Privacy, Security, and Ethics

• HIPAA and Patient Data Privacy Laws
• Cybersecurity in Healthcare
• Ethical Use of AI and Health Data
• Data Governance in Health Organizations

Module 5: Interoperability and IT Integration

• System Integration Challenges
• APIs and FHIR-based Applications
• Telemedicine and Remote Patient Monitoring
• Workflow Optimization in Clinical Settings

Module 6: AI and Emerging Technologies in Health Informatics

• AI for Diagnosis and Risk Prediction
• Natural Language Processing in Clinical Notes
• Wearables and IoT in Health Monitoring
• Blockchain in Healthcare Record Management

Module 7: Capstone Project and Presentation

• Team Collaboration Using Digital Tools
• Data Acquisition and Analysis
• Strategy Development and Solution Design
• Final Report and Virtual Presentation

Real-Life Online Project

Project Title: Improving Patient Outcomes Using EHR-Based Predictive Analytics

Project Brief: A fictional healthcare network seeks to improve hospital readmission rates using historical EHR data. Interns will:

• Analyze anonymized EHR datasets to identify high-risk patients
• Use predictive modeling techniques to forecast readmission risks
• Design a dashboard to visualize patient insights for clinicians
• Recommend intervention strategies for high-risk cases
• Address privacy and ethical considerations in using patient data

The internship concludes with a team-based presentation of the data models, dashboards, strategic findings, and privacy policy recommendations to a simulated healthcare leadership panel.