MDPH 6150  - BIOMEDICAL STATISTICS AND INFORMATICS

Course Description

Entirely new methods of storing and retrieving medical records have appeared today that take advantage of computer systems.  Instruction in the use and applicability of these new hospital management systems will serve as the basis for a wide range of applications in healthcare institutions which serves to improve efficiency. Student exposure with the useful applications of statistics in medical diagnostics, therapy, and health facilities and to provide an introduction to some of the basic components of the hospital information system.

Course Content

Students should know the basics of biostatistics models and methods: distributions, hypothesis testing. Chi-square, Mann-Whitney, t-tests, ANOVA, regression. They should be able to evaluate and apply the appropriate statistical techniques to the different area of medical physics. Students should be able to describe and demonstrate competency in basic computer architecture, periphery and programmes for patient records, coding, and data presentation.

Course Aims

• To enable students to develop a thorough understanding of statistical methods of medical physics
• To concentrate on statistical methods for specific medical physics problems rather than learning abstract techniques so as to engender an environment of learning by doing.
• To produce graduates with good critical thinking and problem solving skills who will be able to effectively select the appropriate statistical method and management system, develop programs in order to analyse or simulate problems in medical physics and interpret the results generated.
• To improve students’ ability to independently acquire through reading of the class notes, practice exercises, and self-initiated problem-solving a deeper knowledge of the course content.
• To develop an overview of various commercial software packages and libraries and to enable students to make intelligent use of these products.

Course Learning Outcomes

After completing the course, students will be able to:

1. Calculate measures of central tendency from frequency distributions.
2. Perform curve fitting using data provided.
3. Perform hypothesis testing using data provided.
4. Analyze variances.
5. Perform regression and correlation analyses.
6. Write code using the SPSS software.
7. Use decision support applications. 
8. Create databases, digital libraries for literature storage and retrieval.
9. Integrate Telehealth and Telemedicine into healthcare systems.

Assessment

Coursework                             100%