Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist

How are electronic health records used in healthcare?

Electronic health records (EHR) are portable records of a patient’s healthcare experience. This responsibility helps doctors see and treat patients more efficiently and may help reduce errors in medical procedures and their documentation.

What does an electronic health records specialist do?

EHR specialists focus on the electronic documentation of the patient’s care and condition. Common EHR job activities may include:

• Auditing patient records for compliance with government or insurance requirements
• Abstracting clinical information for reporting purposes
• Performing basic coding for reimbursement claims
• Processing Release of Information (ROI) requests for medical records
• Reviewing patient records for completion and accuracy
• Collecting patient information for demographic and insurance reports
• Discussing patient information with physicians and insurance professionals

Is electronic health records a good career for remote work?

Because electronic records are held and updated online, EHR Specialist is considered an option for a remote or home-based career. ZipRecruiter.com reports that most employers will require that remote team members have strong, secure internet connections and most will require certification.

• Prepare to take and pass the CEHR exam, offered by the National Healthcareer Association
• Receive a broad overview of the electronic health records (EHR) systems
• Gain hands-on experience using real EHR software
• Summarize the HIPAA Privacy Rule and HIPAA Security Rule
• Explain the information contained in various medical records
• Demonstrate how to write a chief complaint and obtain a patient history
• Establish the appropriate EHR for a healthcare practice
• Keep track of vital information such as patient allergies and medications
• Communicate with patients and report public health information

There are no prerequisites to take this course. However, you will need a high school diploma or GED in order to take the CEHRS exam.

AN OVERVIEW OF EHR AND CEHRS

What is an EHR; the role of a CEHRS in a medical practice

INTRODUCTION TO HARRIS CARETRACKER

Main elements of Harris CareTracker and major parts of a client chart; claims submission and payment process

HISTORY OF EHRS

EHR origins in practice management systems; federal initiatives to promote EHR adoption

STEPS TO EHR IMPLEMENTATION

Assess, plan, select and implement

THE EHR FRAMEWORK

EHR architecture, hardware, software, networks and interfaces; human-computer interface (user) devices and hybrid health records

HIPAA REQUIREMENTS AND EHR SYSTEMS

What HIPAA is and how it impacts CEHRS; HIPAA privacy and security rules

THE EHR AND RECORD CONTENT

Record purposes, standards, formats and types of data; medical record content and documentation

LISTS, TREATMENT PLANS, ORDERS AND RESULTS

Summary lists in the office workflow; functional, content and vocabulary standards

PATIENT VISIT MANAGEMENT

The EHR in an office workflow; master patient index, service payment information and scheduling

CODING, BILLING AND PRACTICE REPORTS

Coding and billing workflow and the EHR; code sets and clinical vocabularies

PATIENT COMMUNICATIONS

Patient-focused communication; patient portals personal health records

PRACTICE REPORTS, RESEARCH, REGISTRIES AND REPORTABLE EVENTS

Medical product development and practice requirements; registries and reportable events

PERSONAL HEALTH RECORDS AND CONTINUING CARE RECORDS

Ensuring continuity of care between providers; ongoing training and technical support of EHR software

Jennifer Della'Zanna

Jennifer Della'Zanna has more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry, having worked as a medical transcriptionist, practice administrator, biller, and coding specialist. She writes courses and study guides on the use of technology in health care and regularly contributes to publications about health issues. Della'Zanna is a member of the American Academy of Professional Coders and the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Albright College.

Rachael Delekta

Rachael Delekta is an MBA in Healthcare Administration and Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist. Rachael has been in the health care field for over ten years. She has worked mostly on the insurance side of things, as a customer service manager for dental insurance, a claims and customer service coach, and a workers' compensation case management biller and auditor. She works daily with medical records and healthcare software.

This course is 100% online. Start any time.