Online Electronic Medical Records (EMR) Course: What's Included

Estimated Length of program:
4-6 months, self-paced.

Certification:
Certified Electronic Health Record Specialist (CEHRS) exam.

Program Goal:
To prepare students to take the CEHRS certification exam and gain an entry-level EMR Specialist position.

Program Outcomes

The Electronic Medical Records Specialist Course provides students with a firm foundation in electronic record principles and practices, preparing them for entry-level positions in the field. Starting with an introduction to the world of healthcare, students review insurance and medical terminology, and explore various types of medical records and record management. The course ensures students have a good understanding of the process to release medical records and when consent is necessary. This course stresses the importance of healthcare law, as well as physician responsibilities, while also covering the basics of coding and billing. Students work with practice management software to obtain hands on skills. Finally, the course concludes with statistical calculations, which include census data, bed occupancy and length of stay, as well as morbidity and mortality rates.

Curriculum

Instruction Pack I: Welcome to the World of Health Care

The EMR Specialist Course begins with an introduction to the world of health care and the team involved in healthcare professions. Lessons outline insurance terminology, tools used in healthcare professions and types of health insurance. Students learn about the documentation in medical records, as well as the basics of good recording practices. Students gain a solid foundation in medical terminology using a unique word-building system to help them interpret new terms.

Instruction Pack II: Electronic Records and Reimbursement

Students learn the history of reimbursement as it relates to health care. After a short introduction to electronic records, students the process of scheduling appointments, students gain an overview on the various types of insurance, including private insurance, managed care, Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE and workers’ compensation.

Instruction Pack III: Healthcare Law and Record Management

Students discover the healthcare laws established to protect the patient’s privacy. The course focuses on the rights and responsibilities of the patient, as well as the physician’s responsibility. Students learn the history and development of the various coding systems and discover how coding affects reimbursement. Finally, students learn to effectively arrange, audit, release, retain and destroy medical records.

Instruction Pack IV: Practice Management and Reporting

Students build on what they know about electronic records and develop their skills in creating records and scheduling appointments in a practice management system. After learning the details of documentation and meaningful use, students will create an encounter in an EHR. Finally, students learn about reporting by examining the explanation of benefits, secondary claims, denials and aging. The course wraps up with a final quiz that will prepare students for their future careers.