Introduction to Healthcare Statistics 

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:

1. Describe and present data graphically
2. Compute basic probabilities
3. Carry out a hypothesis test
4. Make predictions based on the data
5. Compare two different sets of data
6. Compile a statistical report
7. Critically appraise published literature
8. Choose the correct statistical test/model based on data type

Module Learning Aims & Rationale

The World Health Organisation, the United Nations, the Department of Health and Children and all major international and national organisations have recognised the need for the healthcare industry and healthcare professions to base treatments, interventions, policy and planning on sound evidence. Part of this evidence is derived from the analysis and compilation of appropriate statistics. In the current age of “Big Data” it is essential that healthcare professionals and those working in the healthcare industry are comfortable working with data and deriving and interpreting basic statistics. This module aims to stimulate the student’s interest in, and knowledge and appreciation of healthcare statistics. It will provide the student with some key transferable skills that will be useful in all professions. The emphasis in the course will be on applying the techniques to healthcare data and on understanding and interpreting results in real life data sets.