Innovations in Healthcare Practice: Meeting Clinical, Health Equity, and Ethical Challenges

Clinical practice in healthcare with innovation such as work in genetic medicine, precision medicine, fetal health and advancing technology (data analytics, Apps, EMR's, artificial intelligence, new tools) pose formidable challenges for patients/families and their healthcare providers including social workers interfacing with healthcare. This class will provide an overview of common clinical opportunities and challenges relating to clinical practice and the evolving role of professionals working in healthcare in these emerging areas. There are significant discrepancies between what we see in the media and the reality of what is occurring in clinical settings. There are ethical, legal, and health equity considerations in these new areas of practice that affect patient care and access to services. Participants will gain an understanding of the current scope of practice with emerging technologies. Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this class students will be able to: 1. Describe an overview of current innovative trends in healthcare 2. Apply new knowledge of the basics of social work practice in these new areas of practice 3. Evaluate ethical dilemmas that present with new innovations in healthcare practice 4. Evaluate legal issues applicable to novel issues in healthcare 5. Discuss health equity issues that arise with advances in new practices