Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist

Course Overview:

It is so important for students entering the workforce to be well prepared for the challenges found there. For those students hoping for a career in health care, it is imperative that they understand electronic health records and how those records impact patient care and reimbursement.  This course will provide the instructional tools needed to facilitate student learning of the electronic health record process.  Administrative, clinical, and billing applications are discussed, as well as real-world situations that the students will encounter in the workforce.

Students will:

• Understand the evolution, functionalities, and significance of electronic health records in enhancing patient care and healthcare system efficiency.
• Outline the medical assistant's role in implementing and managing electronic health records to support clinical tasks.
• Interpret the legal definition of privacy and confidentiality within the context of patient health information.
• Identify patient rights under HIPAA and their implications on electronic health records.
• Emphasize the necessity of effective communication in healthcare settings, including the use of various electronic communication methods.
• Recognize the administrative duties of the front office, including the organization and management of the waiting area.
• Explore the importance of accurate EHR documentation for quality patient care and legal compliance.
• Analyze the interplay between the patient, healthcare provider, and insurer in the medical reimbursement cycle.
• Examine the concept of medical necessity and its impact on insurance reimbursement.
• Define Personal Health Records and patient portals and discuss their role in patient empowerment and care coordination.

This course prepares the student to take the for National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Electronic Health Record Specialist (CEHRS) and national exam.

Course Outline:

Lesson 1: Introduction to Electronic Health Records

Lesson 1 introduces the history, development, and current use of electronic health records (EHRs), covering their content, documentation processes, benefits, challenges, and the roles of various healthcare professionals in their implementation and maintenance.

Lesson 2: Overview of SimChart for the Medical Office

Lesson 2 provides an overview of SimChart for the Medical Office (SCMO), focusing on its modules like Front Office, Clinical Care, and Coding & Billing, and elaborates on its functionalities and tools for effective management and documentation in medical practices.

Lesson 3: Privacy, Confidentiality, and Security

Lesson 3 explores the intricacies of privacy, confidentiality, and security in healthcare, focusing on HIPAA regulations, the differentiation between confidentiality and privacy, and the implementation of various safeguards within medical practices to protect patient information.

Lesson 4: Administrative Use of the Electronic Health Record

Lesson 4 covers the administrative use of electronic health records, including managing patient information, communication strategies in medical offices, handling phone calls and correspondence, as well as maintaining data privacy and security in accordance with healthcare regulations.

Lesson 5: Clinical Use of the Electronic Health Record

Lesson 5 covers the clinical use of electronic health records, including detailed documentation practices for patient encounters, managing medical, surgical, social, and family histories, the use of templates for efficient documentation, and the integration of EHRs in patient education and telehealth services.

Lesson 6: Using the Electronic Health Record for Reimbursement

Lesson 6 focuses on the role of electronic health records in healthcare reimbursement, covering various reimbursement systems, medical coding systems like CPT and ICD-10-CM, the significance of accurate coding and billing, and the importance of compliance with healthcare laws and regulations to prevent

Lesson 7: The Personal Health Record and Patient Portals

Lesson 7 covers the details of personal health records and patient portals, discussing their creation, maintenance, benefits for individuals, patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers, and the integration of these tools into overall health management and care coordination.

All necessary course materials are included.

Certification(s):

This course prepares the student to take the for National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Electronic Health Record Specialist (CEHRS) national exam.

System Requirements:

• Cable and DSL internet connections are recommended for the best experience.

• CPU: 1 GHz or higher
• RAM: 2 GB or higher
• Resolution: 1280 x 720 or higher
• Speakers / Headphones
• Microphone (Webinar / Live Online sessions)

• Microsoft Windows 7 or 10 (Home, Pro)
• Mac OSX 10 or higher.
• Latest Chrome OS
• Latest Linux Distributions

NOTE: While we understand that our courses can be viewed on Android and iPhone devices, we do not recommend the use of these devices for our courses. The size of these devices do not provide a good learning environment for students taking online or live online based courses.

• Latest Google Chrome is recommended for the best experience.
• Latest Mozilla FireFox
• Latest Microsoft Edge
• Latest Apple Safari

• Office suite software (Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, or LibreOffice)
• PDF reader program (Adobe Reader, FoxIt)
• Courses may require other software that is denoted in the above course outline.