Training The Next Generation – EHR Training at the University Level

What a novel idea! I say this tongue and cheek as it has been something needed for a long time. After having been in this industry for a while, this has been one of the most difficult areas and to have some general training at the university level before walking in to an office using an EHR, this is great, and good news that someone is taking the first step. Shoot when medical assistants train, there has been donated billing software in existence in the schools for quite some time, so it’s about time for the next level of EHR to move in. Even when a new installation goes in, this is still the hardest point sometimes to get a across, you do need training, but so many relate back to years ago when they picked up their old AOL free disc, and hey they were online, well things are just not that simple any more, there’s no picking up an EHR disc and going to town, it’s a bit more complicated. BD

Last fall, University of South Florida Health in Tampa added a new class to its medical school curriculum. But instead of focusing on an emerging disease or care regimen, the class provides instruction on how to use electronic health records.

The two-hour, single-session class covers various EHR topics, including security and specific uses. And now all USF medical students must take it at the beginning of each school year

USF Health created the EHR class at the suggestion of a new administrator who wanted the school to help prepare its students to work at clinics that use the technology. While the inaugural class didn’t require students to be tested on the material, the school plans to add tests next year, says Michael P. Williams, technical trainer at USF Physicians group, a 450-physician, multi-specialty group practice affiliated with the school.

http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/issues/2008_54/26553-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS&page=1