BS Health Informatics Domains of Study

Areas of Study Within the
Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics Program

The WGU Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics program was developed in consultation with our Information Technology Council—made up of industry experts—and in consultation with the Health Informatics Working Group comprised of healthcare industry experts representing all facets of health care informatics. The competencies in quantitative literacy, language and communications, and problem solving ensure that the graduate has the well-rounded educational background that is required in today’s challenging environment. The courses of study included in the health informatics professional courses were developed in alignment with the domains, subdomains, and knowledge clusters established by CAHIIM.

The following section includes the larger domains of knowledge, which are then followed by the subject-specific subdomains of knowledge.

Foundations Domain

The Foundations domain focuses on basic subject matter knowledge that is typically required for baccalaureate level study.

Foundations
Focuses on application of grammatical standards, reading skills, basic numeracy and calculation skills, basic algebra skills, basic geometry principles, and basic data and probability skills.

Health Informatics Fundamentals

This domain builds competencies in analyzing the healthcare delivery system, application of legal and regulatory guidelines, practicing ethics in managing health information, applying clinical classifications, and effectively managing the coding and other functions related to healthcare compliance. This domain includes the first of two professional practice experiences. Competency in this domain is demonstrated by successfully completing objective exams and performance assessments and a professional practice experience, including a portfolio. It cannot be cleared through previous college work or professional experience.

Healthcare Ecosystems
This subdomain covers skills and competencies in relation to the organization, components, and operation of healthcare systems; licensure and accreditation, quality, and reimbursement; access to healthcare, federal healthcare, and legislative programs; and trends in healthcare delivery.

Legal and Ethical Considerations in Healthcare
This subdomain builds competencies in applying conceptual aspects of legislation, law, regulations, and standards in health informatics, evaluating legal aspects of risk management and quality improvement initiatives, applying ethics to health information management, and analyzing how compliance requirements impact healthcare organizations.

Health Data Management Across the Continuum
This subdomain covers skills and competencies in health data structures, usage, and data collection tools, data quality assessment and integrity, types and content of health records, and health information standards and regulations for documentation.

Healthcare Compliance and Coding Management Effectiveness
This subdomain covers skills and concepts in analyzing the structure and organization of the coding function as it relates to the revenue cycle. It includes coding management considerations, process improvement, and reporting issues related to compliance. It also builds competencies in structuring, developing, and implementing a compliance program within a healthcare organization including internal and external auditing, staff training, and program evaluation.

Clinical Classification Systems and Current Procedural Terminology
These subdomains cover skills and concepts students need to select and accurately use the International Classification of Diseases and Current Procedural Terminology for the coding function.

Professional Practice: Technical Level
This subdomain includes competencies students will apply in the first of two clinical practice experiences. They include analyzing operational management of a healthcare organization and applying health informatics/ information management skills.

Information Technology Fundamentals Domain

This domain covers the foundations of the field of information technology. It prepares the student for the subject matter domains of the program. To clear a domain, the transcript must show that students have taken equivalent classes in the domain content areas and passed those courses with a C grade or higher at an accredited institution of higher education. Certain industry certifications will also transfer or clear a domain.

Information and Communication Technology Foundations
Content focuses on PC components, setting up a basic PC workstation, basic software installation, identifying compatibility issues and recognizing and preventing basic security risks.

IT Fundamentals I
Content focuses on networked resources, hardware and software for the Internet business, and web browser function, use, configuration, and customization. The student will also organize and produce a simple but functioning website.

IT Fundamentals II
Content focuses on understanding the personal computer components, and their function, in a desktop system as well as computer data storage and retrieval; classifying, installing, configuring, optimizing, upgrading, and troubleshooting printers, laptops, portable devices, operating systems, networks, and system security; recommending appropriate tools, diagnostic procedures, preventative maintenance and troubleshooting techniques for personal computer components in a desktop system; strategies for identifying, preventing, and reporting safety hazards and environmental/human accidents in a technological environments; and effective communication with colleagues and clients as well as job-related professional behavior.

General Education Domain

The general education domain focuses on basic subject matter knowledge that is typically included in baccalaureate level programs. Evaluation of your previous college transcripts may clear assessment requirements for some areas of the liberal arts domain, which could shorten your program of study by removing assessments. To waive or clear a subdomain, the transcript must show that you have taken equivalent classes in the subdomain content areas and passed those classes with a C grade or higher at an accredited institution of higher education.

Language and Communication
Content focuses on collegiate reading skills, basic information retrieval skills, writing skills, and speaking and writing skills.

Geography
Content includes fundamentals of geography, places and regions, physical and human systems, and the environment.

Natural Science
Content focuses on scientific concepts and inquiry as well as key concepts across and within disciplines of natural science.

Collegiate-Level Reasoning and Problem Solving
Content includes problem identification and clarification, planning and information gathering, identifying assumptions and values, analysis and interpretation of information and data, reaching well-founded conclusions, and identifying the role of critical thinking in the disciplines and professions.

Literature, Arts, and the Humanities
Content focuses on content, concepts, terminology, methodology, models, and issues within and across the disciplines of the humanities.

Quantitative Literacy
Content includes numeracy, algebraic concept, geometry, measurement, statistics and probability, mathematical reasoning, and mathematical problem solving.

Organizational Behavior and Management Domain

Understanding how to lead and manage in the business environment is critical to a business graduate’s success in the workplace. This domain includes two objective assessments: Principles of Management and Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior and Management. Students are asked to demonstrate the ability to apply these concepts in a series of scenario-based problems in the leadership concepts and applications tasks. Prior coursework does not transfer to meet the requirements of this domain.

Organizational Behavior and Management
Focuses on management and leadership concepts and applications.

Anatomy and Physiology Domain

This domain focuses on the following areas: nervous and sensory systems; circulation and hematology; respiratory and cardiovascular systems; muscular, skeletal, and integumentary systems; lymphatic and endocrine systems; digestive, hepatic, and urinary systems; reproductive system; support, protection, and movement; control and regulation; transportation, absorption, and excretion; reproduction; growth, and maturation; terminology and the body plan.

Medical Terminology Domain

Content focuses on the anatomy of word building and medical terminology as it relates to body organization and directional terms, the integumentary system, special senses of the eye and ear, the musculoskeletal system, the digestive system, blood, lymphatic, immunity and infections, cardiovascular and respiratory systems, nervous system and mental health, urinary system, endocrine system, male and female reproductive systems, and cancer.

Pathophysiology Domain

Content focuses on the organization of the human body, tissues, glands and membranes, the integumentary system, the sensory system, skeletal and muscular systems, the digestive system, blood, vessels and circulation, lymphatic system, immunity and disease, heart and respiratory system, nervous, urinary and endocrine systems, and male and female reproductive systems.

Pharmacology Domain

Content focuses on basic principles of pharmacology as well as pharmacology for the peripheral nervous system, the central nervous system, the heart, vascular and renal systems, respiratory system, the gastrointestinal system, the endocrine system, and of infectious diseases. Also on antineoplastics and drugs affecting the immune system.

Database Fundamentals Domain

This domain focuses on core database concepts, manipulating data, data storage, and database administration.

Health Information Technology and Systems Domain

This domain builds competence in analyzing institutional and industry trends in technology utilization in healthcare organizations. Competencies focus on the design, development, application, and evaluation of information systems; resource considerations; data security, storage, retrieval, and recovery, including contingency planning. Demonstrated competencies include the application of project management techniques to planning the adoption of new technology in a healthcare organization. Competency in this domain is demonstrated by successfully completing performance assessments. It cannot be cleared through previous college work or professional experience.

Healthcare Informatics and Project Management Design
This subdomain builds competencies in project planning, management, and evaluation, as well as the adoption of new technologies in a healthcare organization. It includes competencies in evaluating medical practice workflow and functional needs of end-users, evaluating data infrastructure and information technology processes and systems, and analyzing the fiscal and human resource commitment needed in all phases of implementing and adopting new technologies. The use of health information management in diverse settings (such as health information exchanges, the personal health record, and various types of healthcare facilities) is included, as it applies to the electronic exchange of information.

Health Information Systems Design and Management
This subdomain builds competencies in analyzing how information systems, computers, network architecture, the Internet, and emerging technologies influence health information management in healthcare organizations; database management; methodologies and policies for data mining and information retrieval; and risk assessment and contingency planning for the security of health information in compliance with federal and state law.

Systems Administration and Management Domain

This domain covers operating systems, project management, networking, and information security.

Project Management
Focuses on skills and concepts students need to know to plan and implement projects. The project initiation and planning process is covered in-depth, culminating in the creation of a project schedule. Learning how to manage business concerns such as cost and risk is balanced by thorough coverage of best practices in managing people and resources. Students will also learn how to manage change and the steps necessary in closing a project.

Health Information and Information Management Domain

This domain focuses on the skills needed to function at the supervisory level as a health informatics professional. Competencies include creating, managing, and evaluating quality improvement programs; supervising and developing staff; professional development; financial management in the healthcare organization; and health informatics and the research process. This domain includes the second of two professional practice experiences. Competency in this domain is achieved by successfully completing performance assessments, a clinical experience including portfolio, and capstone project. It cannot be cleared through previous college work or professional experience.

Financial Resource Management
The focus of this area of study is developing competencies in the management of financial resources at the departmental or organizational level. Competency areas include analysis of reimbursement systems and how the coding and billing function impacts the revenue cycle; general accounting principles; legal, regulatory, and compliance issues related to finance; strategic financial planning, and management control processes.

Healthcare Statistics and Research
This subdomain builds competencies in selecting, applying, and evaluating research methods in solving organizational problems or implementing outcome effectiveness strategies in a healthcare organization. It focuses on skills needed in daily operations for gathering statistical data used in planning and evaluating processes in the healthcare workplace. Also included is the role of the health informatics professional in biomedical research.

Quality and Performance Management and Methods
The focus area in this subdomain requires demonstrated competencies in analyzing how quality improvement programs are developed, implemented, and improved; and skills necessary for management in the healthcare environment.

Professional Practice: Management Level
This subdomain includes competencies students will apply in the the second of two clinical practice experiences. They include analyzing operational management of a healthcare organization; applying health informatics/ information management skills; and demonstrating leadership skills as a health informatics professional at a healthcare organization.