This unit introduces basic computing concepts and terminology. It identifies common elements of computers, both in terms of hardware and software and provides information on selecting a computer by discussing the range of computer types, from desktops to laptops to servers. Finally, it provides a history of the development of computing and healthcare information systems over time.

This unit provides a foundation on how a computer functions and how data is represented in memory, input and output devices, and the CPU, including its role in system functionality.

This unit discusses the purpose and types of programming languages from simple machine code to high level programming languages, including the process of compiling and interpreting. Students will use variables, loops and conditional statements to build a simple program. Finally, this unit presents some advanced programming concepts such as Object Oriented Programming.

This unit covers application and system software, with a focus on healthcare systems. It also describes the functions of operating systems, presents different operating systems, and defines the purpose and usage of file systems.

This unit discusses the purposes of databases, a relational database, and the querying language SQL. Students will design a simple database using data modeling and normalization. This unit will define basic data operations, provide instruction on how to create common query statements, and discuss SQL implementation.

This unit depicts the medical model of healthcare in the US, with an overview of the organization of healthcare and the physical structure of healthcare delivery in the outpatient setting, including an overview of the people involved in the delivery of healthcare, their education and licensing. This unit is intended primarily for the student who does not have a background in healthcare, though the topics of this unit will be described at a relatively advanced level.

This unit describes the overview and introduction to the electronic health record (EHR).

This unit describes the application of evidence-based medicine (EBM). The discussion begins with the framing of clinical questions that can be answered by appropriate evidence. It then demonstrates how to find and apply the best evidence for answering four major types of clinical questions: interventions, diagnosis, harm, and prognosis. The unit also introduces summarizing of evidence (systematic reviews) as well as clinical practice guidelines and concludes with a discussion of the limitations of EBM.

This introductory unit covers definitions of terms used in the component, with an emphasis on paradigm shifts in healthcare, including the transition from physician-centric to patient-centric care, the transition from individual care to interdisciplinary team-based care, and the central role of technology in healthcare delivery. This unit also emphasizes the core values in US healthcare.

This unit continues the discussion of healthcare financing at the governmental, organizational, and consumer levels. It describes the revenue cycle for healthcare organizations, identifies the different reimbursement methodologies and standards developed for the billing (reimbursement) process. Finally, this unit reviews some of the factors responsible for the escalating healthcare expenditures in the US and discusses some methods for controlling rising medical costs.

This unit covers five topics concerning the future of computing: trends in computing, interfaces used to communicate with computer systems, cloud computing, the changing social implications of the use of computer systems, and the ubiquity of computers in our daily lives.

This unit discusses the health professionals who deliver healthcare and the training needed to work in these professions. The following professionals are described in this unit: physicians, nurses, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, therapists, allied health professionals, paramedics, EMTs, dental professionals, mental health professionals, and social workers.

This unit describes the process used by a clinician to make a diagnosis and determine a care plan. This includes gathering information from the patient as well as other objective and subjective sources, managing and organizing the information, comparing the information to known states of disease, and developing a care plan for the patient.

This unit describes healthcare delivery sites including outpatient care, hospitals, tertiary care centers, academic medical centers, the VA healthcare system, the military health system, the Indian health service, and non-traditional delivery sites such as school-based, community-based, and employer-based sites. It also specifically examines the structure, function and interrelationship between healthcare settings.

This unit defines information systems and describes how they are used. It discusses how an information system is designed, developed, tested, supported and maintained. Finally, it explains how information systems are used in healthcare settings, including the role of specialized information systems.