The course will highlight how digital health stewardship principles can be applied to common health systems scenarios. The course will review foundations of digital health knowledge necessary to engage in the digital health ecosystem effectively. Thereafter the course shall illustrate how a national coordinator of digital health can navigate the digital health implementation life cycle from strategy to Monitoring and Evaluation, and demonstrate how digital health practitioners can incorporate this knowledge into the management of digital health system with common routine activities through adherence to the core competencies of digital health use at the tactical level. This course will provide a framework for approaching each digital health engagement from a perspective of a sustainable national digital health program. We hope it will assist you in your practice and inspire you to be a champion of digital health stewardship.
WHO/P. Phutpheng: https://whohqphotos.lightrocketmedia.com/
Language: English
Not disease specific
Course information
Overview: This course aims to foster an environment for digital health leaders from Ministries of Health (MoH) and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) who are in charge of leading the development and implementation of national digital health programs in their countries along with International organizations, NGOs, experts and donors to build participants’ capacity to lead countries’ digital health initiatives.
This course targets digital health tacticians, administrators, implementers, public health programme managers and policy makers, who are charged with the day to day management of digital health programmes at national level, with knowledge and tools to improve their use of digital health tools and services in daily clinical practice and reporting. Additionally, the course targets digital health practitioners in the international development, ICT digital health providers to national governments, students, researchers and consultants in digital health.
Learners should be proficient in the following:
- Basic computer skills
- Familiarity with using browser plug-ins (e.g. Pdf reader, video, audio)
- Using a word processing, presentation software, or other productivity applications
- Experience/familiarity with a variety of file formats such as: .pdf "portable document format", .rtf "rich text format", .doc or .docx "microsoft word document", and .txt "text document"
- The ability to be self-directed in learning new technology skills (e.g. Following a handout, a step-by-step tutorial, online video help, or access to support to learn necessary skills)
Course duration: This course will take approximately 5 hours to complete.
Certificates: A Record of Achievement certificate will be available to participants who score at least 80% of the total points available across all of the quizzes. A Confirmation of Participation certificate is also available for participants who complete at least 80% of the course material.
Course contents
Introduction:
Introduction videoModule 1: Introduction to digital health:
This module provides an introduction to the concept of digital health. It provides an overview of digital health and health technologies, digital health and universal health coverage and health systems strengthening and principles for responsible investment in digital health.Module 2: Digital Health Strategy, Governance and Regulations :
This module shall equip the participants with knowledge and insights for the creation of comprehensive eHealth/Digital Health strategy at country level by integrating it within the national health service and eHealth strategy. The module introduces the participants to digital health regulations, digital health governance and the Global Digital Health Index (GDHI)Module 3 Examples of use of Digital Health :
This module will present you with some examples of digital health progress in countries that call for digital health in their health systems. It will be demonstrated how digital health tools can be used to optimize health system strengthening.Module 4: Digital Health Global Goods Applications:
This module provides participants with an overview global goods. It describes the purpose of global goods and examples of global goods being used in globally. The module introduces the participants to the concept of Global Digital Goods (GDGs) and describes the priority global goods applications that can be used to address health system challenges. It helps the participants know the metrics used to select/determine appropriate public goods for adaptation/ customization and understand the support mechanisms for the global public goods applications. Sample applications to be demonstrated include OpenMRS/OpenClinic, iHRIS, OpenLMIS, RapidPro, OpenSRP, Open Deliver, Telemedicine, OpenELIS, openIMIS.Module 5 - Partnering with ICT sector :
This module guides learners through partnering with the ICT sector. It reviews the ICT sector's contribution to digital health, especially in scaling digital health projects. It also outlines specific avenues for collaboration between ministries of health and ICT and telecommunications partners. The learners will review the types of agreements and partnerships possible between sectors and templates for each proposed agreement.Module 6 Implementing Digital Health:
This module provides learners with knowledge on how digital health interventions are implemented. Emphasis is placed on considerations for identifying stakeholders, understanding users requirements, finding existing digital health tools that can be leveraged for new interventions and cost of owning digital health tools.Module 7 Digital Health Architecture :
In this module, participants will be introduced to enterprise architectures as applied in digital health. Participants will also learn about examples of platform-based architectures, enterprise architecture layers, building enterprise architectures and implementing digital health platforms. The module introduces the concepts of the common principles of architecture design in public sector, the reference architecture models and the roadmap for an architecture design. The different architecture views including business, information, application and infrastructure are explored. The module also introduces the participants to the concept of digital health platform (DHP) and the OpenHIE as an example of a health information architecture. The participants are exposed to the standards needed to support technical and semantic systems interoperability in a healthcare environment.Module 8 Interoperability Framework:
This module provides an understanding of health information interoperability to the learner. It covers the standardized vocabularies, interoperability architecture, maturity models and governance. A few case studies of the application of information interoperability are also presented. The module describes the concept of interoperability and its importance in digital health. It describes the different types of standards, data exchange standards to be used in digital health intervention. It helps the participants understand the interoperability maturity model and the different costs associated with the implementation of interoperability in digital healthModule 9 Monitoring and Evaluation :
This module introduces the participants to the concept of monitoring and evaluation. It covers M&E of eHealth strategy and action plans and digital health implementations, how to assess and continuously improve health information systems, results-based management and the use of global M&E toolkits. The module introduces the participants to the global toolkits and when and how to use them.Module 10 Data Use and Analytics :
In this module, participants will be introduced to data use and analytics, how to use data, key actors in the data life cycle, conducting an information needs assessment and data visualization. The module helps the participants understand techniques for information needs assessment; principles for data harvesting; perform data visualization & information communication; understand data related regulation and presentation of data to the different stakeholders.Module 11 Innovations and Future Technology trends for Health :
In this module, participants will be introduced to block chain technology and its application in health industry. They will also be exposed to the application of artificial intelligence in medicine and public health domains as well opportunities and challenges associated with the technology. The module introduces the participants to the emerging trends in technology that are applicable to the health sector. The participants are assisted to understand how to leverage data, build effective information tech systems, share insightful discoveries and information access across organizations; understand concepts such as block chain, Artificial intelligence - opportunities and challenges, robotics, bio printing and cloud computing in healthcareModule 12: Global Security and Early Warning Alert and Response System (EWARS) :
In this module, participants will be learning about global health and the global health security agenda, the importance and organisation of health emergency data, importance of digital health in health emergencies, current digital health tools used for public health emergencies and an overview of the Early Warning Alert and Response system package. The module is focused on the global health security and the application of digital health to enhance the safety of the population. It helps the participants to understand the global health & Global Health Security Agenda; understand the health emergency programme and the role of digital health in health emergencies; know the digital tools used in global health security and select early warning system (EWARS)Module 13: Telehealth/Telemedicine: A Global and National Perspective:
This module will introduce participants to the concept, application and providing practical uses of telemedicine. This module equips the participant with knowledge on telehealth and telemedicine. Participants learn about the development of telemedicine, associated technologies, benefits of telemedicine, applications of telemedicine, distance learning for health professionals, costs, risks and legal concerns in the use of telemedicine
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Certificate Requirements
- Gain a Record of Achievement by earning at least 80% of the maximum number of points from all graded assignments.
- Gain a Confirmation of Participation by completing at least 80% of the course material.