Biomedical Informatics (20408)
Qualification/course: Bachelor's Degree in Medicine
Year: 1
Term: 2
Number of ECTS credits: 4 credits
Number of study hours: 20 h face-to-face and 80 h individual work
Course Language(s): Spanish and Catalan
Teaching staff: Ferran Sanz, Joan Marc Carbó, Laura Furlong, Miquel Àngel Mayer
1. Presentation of the course
The subject of Biomedical Informatics is a basic teaching subject within the Medicine Bachelor's degree which carries 4 ECTS credits. It is taught during the second term of the first year of the degree.
The teaching activities will be given by lecturers Ferran Sanz, who is the coordinator, Joan Marc Carbó, Laura Furlong and Miquel Àngel Mayer. Some teaching staff from the Hospital del Mar will also collaborate, including Àngel Gayete (medical imaging), Joan Sancho (robotics) and Pilar Torra (clinical history), as well as a researcher from the Hospital Clinic, Albert Alonso, (distance medicine and distance care).
2. Competences to be achieved
During the teaching of the subject, the student should achieve the competences required by the educational authorities set out in the study plan for the degree. Among these competences, those reflected in the Royal Decree of competences for Medicine graduates which are related to this subject must particularly be noted, and they are as follows:
a) Understand, be able to critically assess and know how to use clinical and biomedical technologies and information sources, in order to obtain, organise, interpret and communicate clinical, scientific and healthcare information (MSH-31).
b) Be able to use a personal computer independently (MSH-37).
c) Be able to use search and recovery systems of biomedical information (MSH-38).
d) Understand and manage clinical documentation procedures (MSH-39).
e) Know and understand the principles of distance medicine (MSH-42).
f) Understand and manage the principles of medicine based on the (best) evidence (MSH-43).
The general learning goals for this subject are the following:
a) To acquire basic knowledge in order to use and evaluate informatics tools in the field of biomedicine.
b) To know and understand the main types of information and computer applications used in medical practice and biomedical research.
c) To learn to employ biomedical, clinical and healthcare information systems.
During the course, the students will be provided with information on the specific goals of each topic and each practical, mostly via the Campus Global.
3. Content
Topics that will be covered in the lectures
1. Introduction to information and communication technologies (ICT)
2. General overview on the biomedical applications of ICT
3. Introduction to the concept of a database
4. Biomedical literature
5. Healthcare web portals and Web 2.0 in Medicine
6. Biomedical information databases
7. Standards for coding and representing biomedical information
8. International classification systems for diseases, diagnosis and treatments
9. Concept of clinical health records and their electronic handling (EHR)
10. Informatics systems for managing clinical and healthcare information
11. Legal framework and principles for handling confidential information
12. Procedures and applications for handling confidential information
13. Introduction to the concept of digital imaging
14. Biomedical application of digital images
15. Robotics in clinical practice
16. Introduction to distance medicine and distance healthcare
17. Analysis of genomic information and its application in healthcare I
18. Analysis of genomic information and its application in healthcare II
19. ICT in drug R&D
20. Design and assessment methods for informatics applications
Practicals
1. Organisation and flow of information in the healthcare system
2. Healthcare web portals and Web 2.0 in Medicine
3. Information recovery in databases and biomedical repositories
4. Standards and coding of biomedical information
5. Database design
6. Electronic health records (IMASIS) I
7. Electronic health records (IMASIS) II
8. Digital imaging
9. Digital imaging in radiology
10. Digital imaging in pathological anatomy
11. Distance medicine
12. Computational analysis of genome sequences
13. Biomedical data mining
14. Software engineering
4. Assessment
Assessment of activities is carried out according to specific goals.
a) Assessment methods
The assessments are carried out using continuous assessment exercises and written exams.
The written exams consist of multiple-choice tests (with five alternatives with one single correct answer, discounting accidental correct answers), "true or false" tests (discounting accidental correct answers) and short answer tests with objective correction criteria. The exams may contain short problems that require the student to carry out a simple calculation.
For the continuous assessment, this is carried out by monitoring attendance at the practicals, collecting and marking reports on these sessions, and setting questions or short questionnaires to monitor the acquisition of knowledge and/or skills regarding points covered during the teaching activities.
b) Type and number of assessments
Throughout the course there will be three types of assessment activity: continuous assessment, formative assessment and the final summative assessment.
Given that the attendance at all classes (theory and practical) is obligatory, one part of the continuous assessment will consist of monitoring attendance at the practical classes (which must be with the specific group to which each student has been assigned). The first non-attendance will have no effect on the mark. However, from here on each absence will subtract 0.15 points until there are no points remaining for the mark assigned to this part of the course.
Another type of continuous assessment activity will be the written answers to short questions that will be done at the end of some theory and practical classes, or as part of the exercises carried out after class and that are to be handed in a few days later. The total number of this type of continuous assessment activity will be between 8 and 10, randomly distributed throughout the course, and they will be carried out without prior warning, given that their performance does not require any type of prior preparation by the student.
Halfway through the term there will be a written formative assessment (the result of which will have a small positive impact on the final mark if the mark obtained is equal to or greater than 5). The formative assessment will consist of a small number of questions, mostly requiring short answers and with objective marking criteria. The participation in this assessment is voluntary but highly recommended.
At the end of the teaching process there will be the final official assessment, which will consist of a test involving multiple choice questions (PEM) and a short essay question test.
c) Weight of the different types of assessment with respect to the final mark
Continuous assessment (attendance at practicals) 10 %
Continuous assessment (questions and exercises) 20 %
Final PEM test 35 %
Final essay test 35 %
Passing the formative assessment (grade equal to or greater than 5) means an increase in the final official mark, by means of adding to it the formative grade multiplied by 0.05.
d) Pass criteria and qualitative grades
To pass this subject, the student must participate in the scheduled activities and must obtain a mark of 5 or higher.
Passing 70% of the goals gives a "good" grade, and passing 90% of the goals, an "excellent".
5. Bibliography and teaching resources
5.1. Basic bibliography
The students can find information relevant to the course content in the following books:
Van Bemmel J, Musen MA. Handbook of Medical Informatics. 2nd edition. Springer. 2002.
Biomedical Informatics: Computer Applications in Health Care and Biomedicine. Shortliffe EH, Cimino JJ. 3rd edition. Springer. 2006.
Belmonte MA, Coltell O, Maojo V, Mateu J, Sanz F (eds.). Manual de Informática Médica. Barcelona: Ed. Menarini. 2003.
Cugota L et al. TicSalut, la revolució digital al servei de les persones. Infonomia. 2007.
Straus SE et et al. Medicina basada en la evidencia : cómo practicar y enseñar la MBE. 3a edición. Madrid : Elsevier . 2006
Mayer D. Essential evidence-based medicine. Cambridge University Press. 2004
6. Methodology
The activities planned for the teaching of this course are the following:
a) Lectures
Although the lecturer will give the content of the course via lectures, participation by the students is encouraged.
Immediately after each class session (and sometimes before the class), the student will have access to slides and other documents on the topics dealt with and the specific goals of each topic, via the Campus Global .
The idea is that the goals are mostly met during the time allotted within the programmed face-to-face activities. Therefore, besides the information given by the lecturer, debates can also be carried out during class hours, as well as the continuous assessment exercises, and discussion of the results.
b) Practical sessions
During the term there will be 14 practical sessions of two hours each, the majority of which will be done in groups of 15 students. Some of these practicals, due to their clinical nature, will be carried out in the Hospital del Mar. In order to avoid alterations in the sizes of the groups, which would detract from the smooth running of the teaching, changes between shifts assigned for each practical are completely forbidden, except in cases that are duly justified and agreed with the lecturers in advance.
7. Programme of activities
The programme of activities of the course is included in the faculty's official degree timetable.