University College Cork

The application of technology in health is experiencing rapid growth and the field is seeking qualified professionals to optimise technology to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the healthcare domain. The MSc Digital Health equips students with the knowledge required to ensure that the health sector gets the best out of technology and the opportunity to work with a high calibre group of people with similar aspirations to make a difference to health/medical settings. This interdisciplinary course, led by Business Information Systems in collaboration with the Medical Education Unit, is suitable for qualified applicants aspiring to work in the health sector. The MSc Digital Health will provide business and health/healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to plan, design, implement and manage leading edge health technology while remaining cognisant of the ethical, security and data protection implications arising from such scenarios.

The course provides participants with a critical understanding of how information systems are used to improve create efficiencies in health/healthcare settings and positively influence patient care and patient health outcomes. It is a new programme with internationally recognised faculty at the forefront of digital health/health information systems research. Students will study modules on Fundamentals of Digital Health; Decision Support and Data Analytics for Health; Healthcare Economics; Seminars in Healthcare Information Systems; Ethical and Evidence Based Health Data; Clinical Trials and Data Management. As part of this experience, students will act as a business consultant, mentored by industry experts, to create an innovative health information systems solution or digital health focussed dissertation addressing a real business need or opportunity in a setting of their choice. Expert guest speakers from both business and health/clinical settings contribute to the syllabus and students will benefit from strong healthcare links with both internal and external partners.

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to: Demonstrate advanced analytical and problem solving skills associated with effective practice; Engage in advanced application of IS/IT frameworks and techniques in organisational settings; Communicate and work effectively to a high professional standard; Leverage IS to improve healthcare organisational performance; Improve healthcare through the application of leading edge technology solutions; Research, plan, design, develop and manage an innovative digital health solution, by critically analysing and interpreting data, and effectively disseminating results.

Why Choose This Course
Are you passionate about health? Are you seeking to make a difference in the health domain? The MSc Digital Health offers a unique opportunity to consider how technology can make a transformative impact on the health/medical sector and improve the lives of patients. The area of digital health is experiencing rapid growth, with the market in Europe alone expected to be worth over 300 billion euros per annum by 2020. However, a key challenge for this rapidly developing area is the lack of appropriately skilled people worldwide, namely professionals who have an understanding of health/medicine and Information Systems. The MSc Digital Health will address this gap, contributing to a niche area of expertise at the cross section between health and technology. This programme combines teaching and innovative research in Health and health information systems in healthcare settings providing students with the opportunity to develop highly sought after skills preparing them for the workplace.