OpportunityHealthcare providers are rapidly adopting electronic health
records (EHRs) for patients and implementing digital systemsfor healthcare services. These changes are expected to improveoverall patient care and quality of service and significantlystreamline healthcare management with far-reachingconsequences.
Jobs in healthcare information and communications technology(ICT) are expected to be in high demand as more healthcareorganizations make the transition to digital health records.Skilled workers will be needed to create and maintain integratedhealthcare networks.
In response to this growing demand, the Cisco NetworkingAcademy® program now offers a course to promote skillsdevelopment in the field of healthcare ICT and networking.
SolutionThe Networking Academy™ Health Information Networkingcourse complements our core Cisco CCNA® curriculum andis designed for students seeking entry-level ICT careers in thehealthcare industry. It provides an introduction to networkingin the healthcare environment and equips students with thenetworking knowledge and skills to design, implement, monitor,and troubleshoot networks that support EHR systems in small tomedium-sized healthcare environments (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Health Information Networking: An Introduction to Designing
and Configuring Networks for Healthcare
Who Should Enroll Prerequisites
•Students who hope to
expand their networkingskills with healthcare ICTand networking skills
•Students whowant to preparefor entry-level specializedICT careers in thehealthcare industry
•Basic PC and Internet navigation skills
•Students should meet the followingcriteria or demonstrate equivalentnetworking knowledge and experience:
» Completed the first two CiscoCCNA® Routing and Switchingcourses: Introduction to Networks,and Routing and SwitchingEssentials
Course DescriptionHealth Information Networking equips students with knowledgethat can be applied toward entry-level specialist careers inhealthcare ICT and networking. The course aims to develop
an in-depth understanding of the skills needed to specialize inhealthcare network implementations.
Healthcare systems and regulations vary by country and region.The Health Information Networking course contains some contentthat is specific to the U.S. healthcare system. This content isclearly labeled in the course. Academies offering this course tostudents outside the United States can supplement or replace thisU.S.-specific content with locally relevant healthcare information.
Various hands-on labs throughout the course help students gainpractical experience, including procedural and troubleshooting
labs, skills integration challenges, and modelbuilding. Most chapters also include Cisco® PackeTracer skills integration challenges.
Learning Environment
Health Information Networking can be deliveredas an extension to the CCNA curricula, as anindependent curriculum, or integrated into abroader course of study, such as technology orcontinuing education programs. The curriculumcan be offered in an in-person or a blendeddistance learning (BDL) environment.
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Course Outline
No. Chapter Title Goal
1 Healthcare in theUnited States
Provide basic knowledge abouthealthcare in the United States
2 Electronic HealthRecords (EHRs)
Help students prepare for a typicalimplementation of an electronic healthrecords system; including adjustingthe medical practice workflow
3 Designing HealthcareNetworks
Describe how information technologyis used in healthcare
4 Designing theMedical Group LAN
Describe the factors and processesthat go into designing a network for amedical group
5 Designing andImplementing WANServices
Explain how to implement WANservices for a medical group and itsbranches
6 Securing aHealthcareInformation Network
Describe the unique requirements andsolutions for protecting healthcareinformation and networks
7 Supporting theMedical GroupNetwork
Explain how to support, maintain, andtroubleshoot a medical group network
8 Putting It AllTogether
Reinforce the concepts learned in thiscourse through a culminating activity
Upon completion of the Health Information Networking course,students will be able to perform the following tasks:
• Explain the protocols, safety procedures, and privacyconsiderations for working in a healthcare environment
• Explain how the use of healthcare ICT applications affectsnetwork design
• Describe the purpose, function, and main components ofan EHR system
• Identify the requirements for implementing an EHR system
• Describe the workflow of a medical practice and howthat workflow must be adjusted for implementation ofan EHR system
• Describe security and design considerations whenimplementing or connecting to a data center
• Integrate wireless security and design considerations intoa medical group network
• Prototype a small to medium-sized healthcare IT networkdesign prior to implementation
• Build and maintain a network to support an EHR systemin a small to medium-sized healthcare environment
• Enable remote access and WAN services in a medicalgroup network
• Implement WAN services and secure the network edge foran EHR system
• Troubleshoot, remotely monitor, and manage a smallto medium-sized medical group network
Careers
Health Information Networking helps students prepare for entry-level specialized ICT careers in the healthcare industry, includinghealth information network administrator and network techniciancareers in physicians’ offices and hospitals, or with otherhealthcare service providers.
Cisco Networking AcademyIn partnership with schools and organizations around theworld, the Cisco Networking Academy program delivers acomprehensive learning experience to help students develop ICTskills for entry-level career opportunities, continuing education,and globally recognized career certifications. The courses alsohelp students build 21st century skills such as collaboration and
problem solving by encouraging practical application of knowledgethrough hands-on activities and network simulations.
Networking Academy teaches ICT skills to students from virtuallyevery socioeconomic background and region of the world.Students gain the skills needed to pursue networking careers in avariety of industries such as technology, healthcare, and financialservices. Students also gain access to a global support group,career developments tools, and social networking resources tohelp them become architects of the human network.
For More InformationTo learn more about Cisco Networking Academy,visit cisco.netacad.com.
