According to the Digital Agenda for Europe one of the action areas is the sustainable healthcare and ICT-based support for dignified and independent living. The Digital Agenda for Lithuania (2014-2020) states currently a lack of modern health-related electronic services and ICT products in Lithuania and importance to introduce ICT in the national healthcare system. Most educational institutions in Lithuania haven't any health information system (HIS) learning subjects in their curricula.The Kaunas University of Technology helps to achieve this goal by starting the Health Informatics study programme in 2015. This joint programme is provided together with Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. Hence, the Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), as the main provider of this study programme, is very interested in high quality Health Information Systems (HIS) oriented module(s), which would meet health sector demand and actual health information system trends as well as personal data management requirements. In Latvia great shortage of health informatics specialists took place too, and health informatics courses are organized by private training organizations only. Datorzinibu Centrs has been selected as project partner for the most extensive experience in such training. The project aims to use the knowledge standard applicable in Europe (the ECDL Health, specifically), which defines the HIS curriculum content as well as sets the required level of knowledge and helps ensure module studies/training quality. At the same, implemented standard would help to recognize the existing qualifications of HIS professionals in Latvia and Lithuania internationally. The ECDL HIS certification modules and tools in Lithuania and Latvia will be implemented and run by ITI and LIKTA respectively. The partner DLGI has just implemented ECDL Health certification and training in Germany, so it will share it’s experience in the most of project localization and implementation activities.It is planned to examine health sector ICT needs and trends, develop an integrated solution of HIS studies module, e-learning and online knowledge assessment tool, covering the training objectives described in module syllabus. The learning material will cover safer ICT, key principles and policies in relation to patient confidentiality, knowledge about the structure and main functionality of HIS and knowledge how to access patient records securely, to retrieve, navigate and document patient data and to report appropriately. All learning products will be implemented for partners in Latvia and Lithuania activities, and offered to national higher education/VET institutions and presented for other European countries educators by ECDL products marketing line.The expected project outcomes will be:1. Health Information Systems module for higher education studies (EN template, LT, LV) suitable for VET too.2. Authorised ECDL Health Information Systems knowledge certification module for health sector specialists, including extended syllabus/guide (EN, LT, LV) and certification tests (EN demo, LT, LV).3. Distance learning course covering ECDL Health Information Systems syllabus topics (EN template, LT, LV).All learning products will be tested by and improved after analysis of pilot studies/training and testing/certification in Lithuania and Latvia.All learning products will be presented to national higher education and VET institutions, and encouraged to use in health studies curricula. Good practice guide will support their implementation. EN versions will be used for dissemination in other European countries as "demo" and further localization base.
Health Information Systems training and certification implementation for higher education (HIS4HE) project addresses the education and labour market needs of medicine students in higher education schools, users of patient data systems, such as doctors, nurses and healthcare support staff, etc. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) nowadays are important in all workplaces. TThe number of actions have been taken by European Commission (EC) in order to help people to acquire digital knowledge and skills – especially in the workplace. Online courses together with certification can help get right competences for medical students and medical staff. According to the “Digital Agenda for Europe” (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A52010DC0245R%2801%29) one of the action areas is the sustainable healthcare and ICT-based support for dignified and independent living. It is recognized, that “the deployment of eHealth technologies in Europe can improve the quality of care, reduce medical costs and foster independent living, including in remote places. An essential condition for success is that these technologies incorporate the right of individuals to have their personal health information safely stored within a healthcare system accessible online. To exploit the full potential of new eHealth services, the EU needs to remove legal and organizational barriers, particularly those to pan-European interoperability, and strengthen cooperation among Member States.” The project aims to use the knowledge standard applicable in Europe (the ECDL Health, specifically), which defines the HIS curriculum content as well as sets the required level of knowledge and helps ensure module studies/training quality. At the same, implemented standard would help to recognize the existing qualifications of HIS professionals in Latvia and Lithuania internationally. The ECDL HIS certification modules and tools in Lithuania and Latvia are implemented and run by ITI and LIKTA respectively. The project partners designed, developed and implemented an up-to-date curriculum, training materials, blended learning environment, and certification system „Health Information Systems Usage”. The main intellectual outputs are related to the health information systems and they include: Country analysis report and recommendations Syllabus, syllabus guide and study module Courseware for e-course Assessment and certification tools Good practice guide In order to introduce project results for target groups two multiplier events were organised in partners’ countries: Latvia and Lithuania. There are identified main target groups which are impacted by the project: 1) Higher education students and teachers (study programs related with usage of health information systems) 2) Medical staff using health information systems This target group will benefit from the project by participating in training and certification, which will improve their knowledge and competencies in labor market. Project results can also be used by other education organizations which are responsible for medical staff preparation or skills upgrade and raising of qualification like colleges VET schools, adult education centres, and etc. The partnership is composed by 5 members including coordinator Kaunas University of Technology; all active in the fields of ICT related training and program development, education and ICT skills certification. Coordinator Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) having hude experience scientific researces, training material developement, online trainings and etc. Public institution Information Technologies Institute- has strong experience in IT training/testing courseware design and development.LIKTA is the official partner of ECDL in Lithuania. DLGI-It is an accreditation agency for IT-certification, which has successfully introduced an European IT certification standard by implementing ECDL, the European Computer Driving Licence, in Germany. DGLI help create project results, consult, shares experience and expertise project results. LIKTA-has a wide experience in designing ICT based training programs for adult learners. LIKTA is the official partner of ECDL in Latvia. All learning products are implemented for partners in Latvia and Lithuania activities, and offered to national higher education/VET institutions and presented for other European countries educators by ECDL products marketing line. All learning products were tested by and improved after analysis of pilot studies/training and testing/certification in Lithuania and Latvia. All learning products are presented to national higher education and VET institutions, and encouraged to use in health studies curricula. Good practice guide will help by implementing whole training course. EN versions will be used for dissemination in other European countries as "demo" and further localization base. All project results are available at the project website.