Content Outline and Competencies:

I. Introduction to Health Communication

A. Describe the context and scope of health communication including history, literature, ethics and application to current events.

B. Review the definitions of communication and health.

C. Identify resources and health communication organizations.

1. Explore various healthcare models.

2. Identify biomedical and biopsychosocial models of health. 

II. Health Literacy for Patient and Caregiver

A. Identify roles of patients and caregivers.

B. Explain different communication skills.

III. Diversity and Healthcare

A. Identify the diverse populations and specific needs.

B. Explore methods of communication in various environments.

IV. Health Risks

A. Explore health risks across the life span.

B. Explore health risks in a variety of settings.

C. Discover how health risk is perceived.

V. Emergent Health Issues

A. Identify emergent health issues.

B. Perform a community needs assessment.

VI. Community Health Assessment

A. Identify emergent health issues.

B. Create needs-assessment plan.

VII. Behavioral Change

A. Explore theories of behavior change.

B. Promote communication and advocacy.

C. Create communications for targeted groups, including school-aged children.

D. Develop media to enhance behavior change.

VIII. Health Education Plan

A. Create a health education plan for children and elderly.

B. Create a health education plan for homeless and displaced clients.

C. Create a health education plan for those with language limitations.

D. Create a health education plan for those with special needs.

IX. Healthcare Communications

A. Explore the various methods of media communication.

1. Explore the pros and cons of telehealth.

2. Identify the various components of telemedicine.

3. Compare and contrast media methods.

4. Describe the role of media and communicating health concerns.

B. Identify patient-provider communication challenges.

1. Explore socioeconomic impact on patient-provider communication.

2. Identify cultural differences that affect patient-provider communication.

C. Identify and evaluate communication programs for the various populations.

D. Describe alterations to health communication for special needs populations.

1. Describe alterations for children.

2. Describe alteration for individuals with dementia.

3. Describe alterations for hearing impaired.

4. Describe alterations for vision impaired.

X. Health Communications in the Workplace

A. Identify wellness programs and policies.

B. Create a culture to promote wellness programs and policies.

Content Outline and Competencies:

I. Overview of Health Education and Health Promotion

A. Describe the concepts and principles of health education, health promotion and health promotion programs including history and philosophies.

1. Describe health and health education.

2. Discuss the history of public health.

3. Describe the vision, mission and goals of Healthy People 2020.

B. Explain the goals and objectives of health education and health promotion.

C. Discuss the progression of health beliefs and practices over the ages.

D.  Discuss the various health education and health promotions philosophies

II. Agencies and Organizations in Community and Public Health

A. Identify governmental health agencies.

B. Identify quasi-governmental health agencies and their levels.

C. Describe non-governmental organizations and their subgroups.

D. Discuss the primary activities of most voluntary health agencies.

E. Identify the primary professional associations, organizations and coalitions associated with health education and health promotion.

III. Health Promotion Settings and Stakeholders

A. Identify the major settings in which health education specialists are employed.

B. Describe the primary responsibilities for health education specialist in the major settings.

C. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the major settings.

D. Identify “nontraditional” health education settings.

E. Identify the various stakeholders in health education and promotion.

F. Discuss primary, secondary and key level stakeholders.

IV. Health Disparities

A. Explain health disparities.

B. Describe the importance of studying health disparities.

C. Discuss race- and ethnicity-related health disparities.

D. Discuss gender-related health disparities.

E. Discuss sexual identity and orientation-related health disparities.

F. Discuss disability-related health disparities.

G. Discuss socioeconomic status-related health disparities.

H. Discuss geographic-related health disparities.

I. Identify common methods of tracking health disparities.

V. Health Education Instructional Methodologies and Techniques

A. Identify various instructional methodologies and techniques.

B. Compare and contrast the major advantages and disadvantages of each method.

C. Describe uses for each of the methods and provide rationale for selecting a particular method.

VI. Disease Prevention and Factors Influencing Health Promotion and Education

A. Describe epidemiology.

B. Explain the means by which health or health status can be measured.

C. Describe the determinant domains.

D. Discuss the levels and limitations of prevention.

E. Compare health-related risk factors.

VII. Disease Processes and Behavioral Risks

A. Summarize the spread and cause of disease.

B. Review communicable and non-communicable diseases.

C. Describe the chain of infection.

D. Discuss the communicable disease model and multicausational disease model.

E. Describe the major categories of health-risk behaviors.

VIII. Health Education Profession

A. Describe the roles of health educators.

B. Define credentialing.

C. Explain the differences among certification, licensure and accreditation.

D. Describe the major responsibilities of a health education specialist.

E. Discuss the need for advanced study in health education and health promotion.

F. Explain the purpose of a professional association and organization.

G. Identify ethical issues associated with health education and promotion.

IX. Theories, Models and Program Planning of Health Education

A. Describe the steps of developing health promotion programs.

B. Identify methods for analyzing needs of a population.

C. Define and explain the difference among theory, concept, construct, variable and model.

D. Explain the importance of theory to health education and health promotion.

E. Discuss behavior change theories and planning models.

F. Differentiate the various intrapersonal theories.

G. Discuss interpersonal theories.

H. Describe community population-level theories.

I. Identify the components and rationale of a logic model.

XI. Emerging Health Education and Health Promotion

A. Differentiate procedures for determining valid and reliable sources of health information.

B. Discuss how changing demographic patterns are predicted to affect the role of the practice of health education and health promotion in the future.

C. Describe the major societal changes that will influence the practice of health education and health promotion in the future.

D. Discuss the role and credentialing for future health educations specialists in the major settings.

E. Evaluate the role of the health education specialist in addressing the increasing costs of healthcare.

Content Outline and Competencies:

I. Overview of the U.S. Healthcare Delivery System

A. Describe the main characteristics of the U.S. healthcare delivery system.

B. Identify some major challenges that affect the delivery of healthcare in the United States.

C. Explain the role that Insurance carriers play in the range and scope of healthcare.

D. Identify the changes in the healthcare market and how it affects patients.

E. Explain how the disease process has changed the healthcare delivery system.

F. Describe how the healthcare delivery system has changed with regard to the health-illness continuum.

II. History of U.S. Healthcare System

A. Identify milestones of medicine and medical education and their importance to healthcare.

B. Identify milestones of the hospital system and their importance to healthcare.

C. Identify milestones of public health and their importance to healthcare.

D. Discuss how detriments of health impact the healthcare system.

1. Analyze how environmental factors impact healthcare.

2. Explain how behavior and lifestyle affect the healthcare system.

3. Describe the role heredity plays in the healthcare system.

4. Explain the impact of quality medical care on the healthcare system.

E. Explain the difference between primary, secondary and tertiary prevention.

III. Health Professionals

A. Delineate between the various professions within the healthcare industry including nurses, dentists, pharmacists, optometrists, psychologists, podiatrists, chiropractors, non-physician providers and various allied health professionals.

B. Explore the evolution and scope of healthcare professions.

C. Identify common purviews, practices and philosophies on the healthcare continuum.

D. Categorize the various types of physician specialties.

E. Identify the impact of health professionals on patient care.

1. Discuss the importance of accountability in healthcare.

2. Discuss the challenges for health professionals in defining and measuring quality in healthcare.

3. Discuss the importance of affordable healthcare for patients.

4. Explore how the coordination of care can lead to improved healthcare.

IV. Healthcare Facilities

A. Identify various inpatient care facilities and the elements of each.

1. Review the various licensures required for inpatient facilities.

2. Review the certifications needed for inpatient facilities.

3. Discuss the importance of regulations and control at inpatient facilities.

4. Review the governance structure of inpatient facilities.

5. Explain the ownership structure of inpatient facilities.

6. Discuss the various categories of hospitals with regards to inpatient facilities.

B. Identify various outpatient care facilities and the elements of each.

1. Review the various licensures required for outpatient facilities.

2. Review the certifications needed for outpatient facilities.

3. Discuss the importance of regulations and control at outpatient facilities.

4. Review the governance structure of outpatient facilities.

5. Explain the ownership structure of outpatient facilities.

6. Discuss the various categories of hospitals with regard to outpatient facilities.

V. Long-Term Care Facilities

A. Discuss the various types of long-term care services.

1. Home care

2. Community support

3. Facility-based

B. Explain what is meant by continuum of care as related to long-term health services.

C. Discuss the services offered by long-term care facilities.

D. Review the importance of an Advanced Medical Directive with regard to long-term care.

VI. Public Health Services

A. Define the mission of public health.

B. Discuss the government’s role in fulfilling the mission of public health.

C. Identify the responsibilities of the major federal agencies composing the public health infrastructure.

D. Distinguish the major roles of federal, state and local governmental entities, as well as nongovernmental organizations, in creating and implementing public health policies and programs.

E. Recognize new trends in oversight of public health programs at federal, state and local levels.

F. Explore the different types of administrative relationships that states have with local health departments.

G. Define a local health department and its key functions and responsibilities.

VII. Insurance

A. Compare the various types of health insurance available.

B. Discuss the elements of private insurance available to individuals with regard to healthcare.

1. Premiums

2. Deductibles

3. Co-Insurance

4. Copay

5. Reimbursement Methods

C. Discuss the elements of social insurance available to individuals with regard to healthcare.

1. Premiums

2. Deductibles

3. Co-Insurance

4. Copay

5. Reimbursement Methods

VIII. Healthcare Services for Vulnerable Populations

A. Define health disparities and vulnerable populations.

B. Review public health’s commitment to vulnerable populations.

C. Identify specific healthcare areas of disparity including maternal and child care, aging, persons with disabilities and minority groups.

D. Explain the impact of socioeconomically disadvantaged and minority groups.

E. Describe the role of cultural competence in designing health education interventions for vulnerable populations.

IX. Managed Care Plans

A. Discuss the three major types of managed care plans in the U.S. healthcare delivery system.

1. Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs)

2. Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs)

3. Point-of-Service (POS) plans

B. Identify the various levels and types of integrated healthcare delivery systems.

C. Discuss the four stages of integration in healthcare.

1. Fee for service and discounted care

2. Managed payment

3. Organized care

4. Accountable care

D. Discuss how increasing diversity in the healthcare workforce improves managed care.

1. Racial and ethnic minority patient choice and satisfaction

2. Access to healthcare for under-served patients

X. Technology in Healthcare

A. Define commonly used terms, abbreviations and acronyms related to healthcare technology.

B. Explain how the principles of healthcare data exchange and healthcare data standards relate to patient care, productivity and data analysis.

C. Review the benefits and challenges of health information exchanges.

D. Identify the importance for management of mobile device usage.

E. Explore the benefits and challenges of electronic medical records (EMR) and electronic health records (EHR) in the healthcare industry.

F. Explain how electronic health records affect patient safety, quality care, efficiency, productivity and reporting/documentation mechanisms.

XI. Types of Information Systems in Healthcare

A. Describe general functions, purposes and benefits of health information systems in various healthcare settings.

B. Describe the federal initiatives and other significant developments that have influenced the evolution and adoption of health information systems.

C. Compare/contrast different types of health information systems in terms of their ability to meet the needs of various types of healthcare enterprises.

XII. Regulatory Systems

A. Identify the major laws and regulations affecting healthcare organizations.

B. Recognize why regulations in healthcare are important.

C. Describe the policy and operational context of healthcare regulations.

D. Identify the most important state and federal regulations that affect healthcare organizations.

E. Identify the key regulatory agencies and summarize their current policies.

F. Explain how regulatory compliance will affect healthcare organizations’ strategic decision-making.

G. Formulate strategies for regulatory compliance.

H. Discuss recent policy initiatives that have regulatory implications.

I. Evaluate strengths and weaknesses in current regulatory efforts to achieve policy goals.

XIII. Discuss the Relationship of Cost, Access and Quality in Healthcare

A. Evaluate the “healthcare triangle” and the inherent trade-offs in health policy.

B. Explain why greater access to healthcare does not necessarily relate to satisfaction with cost and quality.

C. Identify the efforts by policymakers to reduce waste and improve value in healthcare.

XIV. Healthcare Policy and Policy-making

A. Discuss the three branches of government as they relate to healthcare policy and policy-making.

B. Describe the basic function, structure and powers of the legislative branch of government.

C. Describe the basic function, structure and powers of the executive branch of government.

D. Explain the role of federal and state governments in the policy-making process.

E. Explain the role of interest groups in the policy-making process.