Electronic Health Records in the Academic World

Health or medical records are the backbone of the healthcare industry. They allow professions to practice patient-centered, interdisciplinary care. Electronic Health Records help accelerate the care process and allow for a smoother patient experience. However, many healthcare professionals have not used an Electronic Health Record prior to employment or internships. This can be detrimental to the process and slow down the entire team. Research shows that teaching Electronic Health Records in an academic setting allows students to safely explore the system and become comfortable with using technology for healthcare purposes. There are specific requirements that have been shown to aid students the most. These include ease of use for both students and instructors, a cloud- and internet-based program, a bank of dummy patient data, and realism in its presentation. Studies show that learning to use Electronic Health Records in an educational setting allows students to become more confident with their ability to read a medical chart and provides valuable feedback from instructors that assists students with assessing information and ultimately making decisions. Students have found the educational training provided by academic Electronic Health Records to be beneficial to their learning. It is imperative that students are provided with the proper tools for their trade upon graduation and using Electronic Health Records is a skill they will certainly require to succeed