Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Health (PGDipDigHeal)

The University of Otago

Healthcare systems are increasingly dependent on data, technology and digital solutions, while at the same time consumers expect to use personalised digital technologies to enhance their own individual health and well-being. Future roles for healthcare professionals will include the provision and transformation of services using digital technology, but there is an identified shortage of people with the right skills to meet the growing demand for professionals working in the specialty of Digital Health.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Health (PGDipDigHeal) is offered by the Department of Public Health – Dunedin, in collaboration with colleagues in Bioethics and Computer Science, and experts from industry and the health sector. The PGDipDigHeal is designed for people working or planning to work in health sector management and leadership roles. Delivered online, the course will suit full-time students who are seeking a qualification in this area but who cannot physically be in Dunedin. Similarly, it will meet the needs of professionals who wish to upskill part-time or full-time, who may not be able to take leave from current employment, or those who are caring for dependents. Graduates of the PGDipDigHeal will have gained an understanding of the concepts and practical skills required to evaluate, select and implement health information systems and digital health products and services.

The DIGH 701 and DIGH 703 papers are foundational, introducing the fundamentals of digital health, including the underlying technologies, the place and future of digital tech in the healthcare system, the managerial, social and ethical implications of the use of technology in healthcare, and the selection and application of digital health solutions for/by consumers, groups and populations. The other papers complement these fundamentals by covering in detail issues of ethical and regulatory compliance as they apply to the use of digital health, as well as its governance in a range of organisational settings (from general practices through to larger-scale entities (e.g., hospitals and health boards)). More specialist offerings will be available to cater to the particular capabilities and interests of groups of students – covering, for instance, the use of data science and data analytics in evidence-based healthcare, or the application of advanced interaction technologies (e.g., augmented reality) to telemedicine and in rehabilitation.

It is possible to complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Health in 12 months or over a longer period.