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Unit outline_

HTIN4003: Health Technology Evaluation

Semester 2, 2023 [Block mode] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Many issues have been identified that are of potential relevance for planning, implementation and execution of an evaluation study in the health and technology innovations. This unit aims to address issues covering all phases of an evaluation study: Preliminary outline, study design, operationalization of methods, planning, execution and completion of the evaluation study. Students completing this unit will have better insights leading to a higher quality of evaluation studies for health technology solutions. This unit is an important component towards building stronger evidence and thus to progress towards evidence-based health solutions and technology innovations. Graduates of this unit of study will have a strong interdisciplinary knowledge base, covering diverse areas such as health, economics, health technologies, health informatics, social science and information systems. Topics areas covered: 1. Economic Aspects of Health Technology Evaluation; 2. The Development of Health Technologies and Health Informatics Evaluation; 3. The Role of Evaluation in the Use and Diffusion of Health Technology.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Computer Science
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
Enrolment in a thesis unit. INFO4001 or INFO4911 or INFO4991 or INFO4992 or AMME4111 or BMET4111 or CHNG4811 or CIVL4022 or ELEC4712 or COMP4103 or SOFT4103 or DATA4103 or ISYS4103
Prohibitions
? 
HTIN5003
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Simon Poon, simon.poon@sydney.edu.au
Guest lecturer(s) Henry Ko, henry.ko@sydney.edu.au
Neysa Petrina, neysa.petrina@sydney.edu.au
Sally Wortley, sally.wortley@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Case Study (HTA)
case study report and recorded presentation
10% Week 06
Due date: 10 Sep 2023 at 23:00
2 weeks
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Assignment Rapid Health Technology Assessment Review
HTA appraisal and research report
25% Week 06
Due date: 10 Sep 2023 at 23:00
2 weeks
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Assignment Health Informatics Evaluation Plan
HIE Evaluation Plan and Protocol
25% Week 10
Due date: 09 Oct 2023 at 23:00
3 weeks
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Assignment Applied Empirical Evaluation
Analytical Report (Multiple Parts)
40% Week 13
Due date: 30 Oct 2023 at 23:00
3 weeks
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7

Assessment summary

There are 4 individual assessments in this unit (Total 100%):

For Part 1 (Health Technology Assessment):
Case Study (HTA), 10%, due week 6
Rapid HTA Review, 25%, due week 6

Fort Part 2 (Health Informatics Evaluation):
Health Informatics Evaluation Protocol & Plan, 25%, due week 10

For Part 3 (Practical Analytical Evaluation)
Empirical Evaluation Study Multiple Parts, 40%, week 13
 

Final grades in this unit are awarded at levels of HD for High Distinction, DI (previously D) for Distinction, CR for Credit, PS (previously P) for Pass and FA (previously F) for Fail as defined by University of Sydney Assessment Policy. Details of the Assessment Policy are available on the Policies website at http://sydney.edu.au/policies . Standards for grades in individual assessment tasks and the summative method for obtaining a final mark in the unit will be set out in a marking guide supplied by the unit

Assessment criteria

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

 

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Late submission In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date: - Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date. - After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded. This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below: Late Penalty for any submission is 20% per day. Unless special consideration is granted. Special consideration If you experience short-term circumstances beyond your control, such as illness, injury or misadventure or if you have essential commitments which impact your preparation or performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Intro to the HTA section of this course, systematic review methods + activity on PICO Lecture and tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 02 Activities on search strategies using a real HTA example (COVID?)) Lecture and tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 03 Introduction to PRISMA Lecture and tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 04 Introduction to PRISMA and other research reporting frameworks, Group Discussions, Impact of the COVID pandemic on HTA methods and the rise of rapid HTA and "living evidence" methods. Workshop (4 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 05 Discussion on the assignment requirements; Introduction to Health Informatics Evaluation Lecture and tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 06 Discuss perspectives and approaches for Health Informatics Evaluation Lecture and tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 07 Planning for UX studies, evaluating user behavioural perception of use Lecture and tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 08 Types of evaluation studies, metrics development (Workshop week) Workshop (4 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 09 Practical empirical analysis Lecture and tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 10 Model scale reliability and construct validity Lecture and tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 11 Introduction to structural equation modelling for evaluation Lecture and tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 12 Introduction to path analysis (workshop week) Workshop (4 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 13 Revision and new emerging topics, guest online lectures; Methodological considerations for complex evaluation studies; Introduction to health economics; Introduction to budget impact analysis; Lecture and tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment: Students are encouraged to attend weekly online drop-in sessions (every Friday) after review recorded lectures and reading materials on canvas. Students are expected to attend three 4 hour workshops in weeks 4, 8, and 12. Workshops will be conducted in hybrid mode, composed of short lecture presentations, small group activities, and class discussions. Lectures set the scene and show how each topic fits into the overall unit of study aims. Small group activities will allow discussion and application of topics. You are strongly advised to actively participate in workshops, and to complete activities that are provided to increase or test your understanding of concepts.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Prescribed readings and recorded lectures will be provided via Canvas

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. understand economic evaluation methods used to measure the benefits of health technology
  • LO2. understand the factors in technology evaluation that affect health technology development and use
  • LO3. understand the social and organisational impacts associated with the use and diffusion of health technology
  • LO4. use evaluation techniques to build an evidence-based understanding of the quality and efficacy of technology innovations implemented in health care settings
  • LO5. discuss the social and economic impacts of a health technology
  • LO6. understand the development of health technologies, and the integration of quality and professional standards
  • LO7. understand approaches to evaluate health informatics interventions used to measure the impact it has on the delivery of health services.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Based on the feedback from last year's USE, changes have been made: 1. Instead of have two full consecutive dates for each of the 2 parts, we will deliver the unit over four 1/2 days over 1 week. 2. Additional material for hands on work will be provided. Feedback will be given based on hands on practices.

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Additional costs

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Site visit guidelines

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Work, health and safety

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Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.