About the HAP 709 (3:3:0) Healthcare Database Course

Course Placement

• Required for Certificate in Quality Improvement and Outcomes Management
• Required for Certificate in Health Information Systems
• Required for concentration in Health Information System in the Master of Science in Health System Management
• Pre-requisite for HAP 720 Integration of Healthcare Data
• Can be taken by students with no health care background
• Can be taken for a replacement of an introductory course in database design with approval of the student's home department.

Faculty

• See list of instructors

Course Description

Introduces students to design and use of health and medical databases. Provides hands-on experience with design and use of databases. Explores uses of medical record systems. Includes review and analysis of databases and database management systems. Examines application of databases to clinical and managerial transaction.

Course Objectives

At the conclusion of the course participants should be able to:

• Effectively manage healthcare information using Microsoft Access and its tools.
• Design and manage effective healthcare databases.
• Structure queries and reports to describe complex relationships between fields (variables) in healthcare databases.
• Optimize data structures and tables that eliminate duplication, unnecessary data entry, and confusion.
• Import, export, and link data tables across platforms.
• Merge, analyze, and query healthcare databases to produce new information.

Required Textbooks

• None
• All required reading is posted to the web.

Recommended Textbooks

• Hernandez MJ.  Database design for mere mortals, a hands-on guide to relational database design. 

• Taylor AG.  SQL for dummies:  A reference for the rest of us. 

Course Requirements

• A bachelor or higher degree from an accredited University. The course is limited to graduate students.

• Both clinicians and managers are encouraged to enroll.

Computer Requirements

• Computer equipped with speakers and microphone.

• Microsoft office 2003 or 2007 (Word, PowerPoint, Access, Excel). Note that Office for Mac does not include Access, so you need to be running Windows.

• Internet Explorer 5.0 or better and fast internet connection

Teaching Methods/Strategies

This course is organized on the principles of "Learn one, Do one, Teach one."   Students learn by listening to recorded lectures or interacting with the face to face or online instructors.  The learning is reinforced by asking students to do a project.  Finally, in some projects students learn by commenting on each other's work.

Projects

Design a database in group of 2-3 people or by yourself.  For details see the Mental Health Court project. 

Disability Accommodations

If you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please contact the Disability Resource Center.  At George Mason University contact Debbie Wyne and the Disability Resource Center at 703 993-2474.  All academic accommodations must be arranged through the Disability Resource Center.

George Mason University is committed to complying with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 by providing reasonable accommodations for disabled applicants for admission, students, applicants for employment, employees, and visitors. Applicants for admission and students requiring specific accommodations for a disability should contact the Disability Resource Center at 703-993-2474, or the Equity Office at 703-993-8730. Applicants for employment and employees should contact Human Resources at 703-993-2600 or the Equity Office. Students and employees are responsible for providing appropriate documentation and requesting reasonable accommodation in a timely manner (George Mason University Catalog, 2006-2007, p. 55).

Course Evaluation

Participation is key to making the experience of everyone a pleasant one. Participation means that you need to review all course sections and complete all exercises provided on a timely basis (maximum of one week after lecture date), ask questions about the topic and evaluate the topic presentations.  You are required to either evaluate or ask a question (see how) in each lecture.  This requirement applies to you whether you are taking the course online or in person.  It helps the instructor understand your level of comfort with the topic and it helps your colleagues benefit from questions you have.  Please ask questions on the web site so answers can be posted and all students can have access to both the question and the answer.  Here is how to do so:

Class participation also means that you would become a member of a professional organization such as HIMSS, ACHE, IHI or other local or national organizations focused on your career. 

Course Topical Outline

Enter Your Email Address

If you are enrolled in this course, you would receive weekly communications from the course faculty.  In order to make sure that you receive the information on time, please provide us with your email address.

Honor code

“To promote a stronger sense of mutual responsibility, respect, trust, and fairness among all members of the George Mason University community and with the desire for greater academic and personal achievement, we, the student members of the university community, have set forth this honor code: Student members of the George Mason University community pledge not to cheat, plagiarize, steal, or lie in matters related to academic work” (George Mason University Catalog, 2006-2007, p. 31).

More Information

See more information about course instructors.  This page is part of the course on Healthcare databases the section on "About the course."  It was first created in 1996.  It was last edited on 09/20/2009 by Farrokh Alemi, Ph.D.  © Copyright protected.