What is a Health Records Specialist?
If you’ve been to the doctor or dealt with medical bills in recent years, you are probably aware of the job function of a Heath Records Specialist, even if you’ve never thought much about it. Increasingly, medical offices are moving to electronic records and away from paper. Additionally, The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) of 2009 provides incentive payments to eligible hospitals and medical providers that can demonstrate use of a certified electronic health record system. Currently, the percentage of health providers that use electronic health records is above 70 percent in the U.S. The benefits of electronic health records are simple: ease of tracking, sharing and storing information. Patient health records can be easily access and referenced, shared with other providers and insurers and important milestones tracked. The increasing use of electronic health records brings an increasing opportunity for employment as Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist (CEHRS). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job market for electronic health records specialist will grow by 15%, much faster than average, through 2024. What Does an Electronic Health Record Specialist Do? There are a few different employment opportunities for Certified Electronic Health Record Specialists, Health Information Clerk, Medical Records Coordinator, Electronic Medical Records Technician and Electronic Medical Records Specialist. Depending on the position, a CEHRS might be called upon to:
- Manage patient visits
- Arrange follow-up care
- Issue prescriptions
- Keep track of vital information like patient allergies and medications
- Communicate with patients and report public health information
- Interpret terms related to diagnosis and clinical procedures
- Explain the significance and use of medications used for disorders and treatments
What Kind of Background Do You Need to be an Electronic Health Record Specialist? There are no prerequisites for becoming certified as an electronic health record specialist but a student should have a background in medical terminology. If you’ve ever worked in a medical office, you are an excellent candidate! If not, you may want to take a course in medical terminology just to get up to speed Interested in a career as a Certified Electronic Health Record Specialist? Find out more about the program at and how to begin at Meditec.com. Sources: National Center for Health Statistics www.meditec.com
