The Complete Guide
Electronic Health Records Specialist
How To Become A Electronic Health Records Specialist and save time and money on your certification
Why We Love EHR
What if you could have an exciting healthcare career, improving the quality, safety, and efficiency of patient care, but without the need or expense of going to medical school?
An electronic health records management specialist, sometimes called a health information technologist, oversees the digital recording and management of patient records.
Their data-oriented role on any healthcare team is invaluable as it helps to reduce health disparities and improve care coordination.
And, thanks to the electronic health records (EHR) mandate, those healthcare professionals certified to manage IT software and applications in a medical environment are in high demand, with huge growth projected over the coming years.
If you think your skills and passion might be a good fit for this rapidly growing field, keep reading to find out what a career as an EHR management specialist offers!
What Do Electronic Health Records Professionals Do?
Every time a healthcare professional treats a patient, they record the visit, what they medically observed, any treatments administered or prescribed, as well as the results of exams, x-rays, and lab tests. For decades this information was recorded down on paper and kept as a file in a filing cabinet.
In our modern age of technology, these patient records are now kept digitally. This transition to electronic storage of medical information opens up numerous employment opportunities for medical and health care staff and professionals.
Electronic health records management specialists, or “electronic medical records specialists”, are responsible for acquiring, analyzing, and protecting these digital records.
These professionals are highly trained in the latest information management technology applications and are vital to the daily operations of both large hospital systems and private physician practices.
EHR management specialists handle the technical aspects of managing patient health information. They may be in charge of building out the information system or simply implementing and supporting the system in an effort to safely store patient data.
EHR management entails data input using the EHR software being used at the medical or the health care facility as per medical, legal, regulatory, and accreditation requirements associated with those electronic health records.
So let’s say you are an EHR management specialist working in a private doctor’s office. Each day you would work within the system to maintain it and ensure all records are safe and easily accessed by the healthcare professionals.
You would also be the one on hand to train administrative staff and fix any technical glitches that may arise during office hours.
The bottom line is, EHR management professionals ensure that patient data is stored safely and efficiently. Their work is extremely important because it not only drives improvements in patient care but also reduces healthcare costs. No wonder why demand for these professionals is on the rise!
7 Reasons to Become an Electronic Health Records Management Professional
Here are 7 reasons you should consider a career as an Electronic Health Records Management Professional in 2023:
1. No Prior Experience is Needed
You don’t need any prior experience or degree to begin your certification program – you could start towards a career in EHR management in just 2-4 months.
2. Earn a Great Salary
Many people flock to the healthcare industry because of the attractive salary and bonuses. When you are a certified EHR management specialist with technological training, you can earn a great salary and have the opportunity to advance in your field to earn even more.
3. Enjoy Job Security
In today’s often volatile economy, job security is more important than ever. Unlike other industries, both the healthcare industry and the IT industry are growing rapidly and in need of new people.
As millions of baby boomers age and require increasing medical attention, there will be even more demand for EHR management professionals.
Moreover, the ongoing pandemic has also shifted the focus back on the healthcare industry, potentially leading to continued demand for EHR professionals in 2023 and the future.
4. Healthcare Is a Rewarding Field
Job stability and great pay are attractive enough and there is also the added benefit of career progression and plenty of opportunities, but what really makes this career special is that you can feel good at the end of each day knowing you are helping to improve patient care and, ultimately, patient outcomes.
5. Many Regional Job Opportunities
And as if all of those benefits aren’t enough, there are job opportunities across the country for these healthcare professionals.
This means you can choose where you want to live and work. For those people who enjoy flexibility and love to spend their life in different parts of the country, this career choice will always have opportunities for them.
6. You are Constantly Learning
Since technology is always evolving and with your training and expertise in software and system management as an EHRM specialist, you will have the opportunity to remain at the forefront of technological advancements. Your job will never be dull as you will be part of one of the most exciting fields that sees continual updates and innovations.
7. You’re Kind of a Hero
As we mentioned, you will be the go-to person in your organization who knows how the system works. For those you work with who are not trained in complex software applications, you will seem like an absolute hero as you help to solve daily tech issues.
How to Get an Electronic Health Records Management Professional Certification
Whether you work in a private physician’s office or in a large urban hospital, employers typically require candidates to hold an EHR management certification and demonstrate their abilities to land a job in this competitive field. So a certification may be the best way to get started in this exciting new career.
5 Things to Look for In An Electronic Health Records Certification Program
1. Find an online EHR program from an authorized school or accredited university
If you are serious about starting your career as an EHR management specialist, the best thing you can do is to gain the proper education.
No matter how the industry progresses, education from an accredited university will always pay off. Plus, once you’ve completed your training you will have an official certificate to hang on your wall and forever feel proud of your accomplishment.
2. Look for a discount and a low monthly payment plan
These types of bonuses aren’t typically easy to find…but, don’t worry we can help 🙂
That’s why OnlineDegree.com has made it our mission to help adult learners get huge discounts toward their certification!
Discounts and payment plans help ease the financial burden, and make the entire journey not just affordable but also worth it.
3. Make sure an externship placement is included
Nothing prepares you quite like hands-on experience. Plus, this real-world experience will set you apart from other candidates and could help you land your dream job.
4. Look for an online, mentor-supported course you can take at your own pace
Online learning has opened up tremendous opportunities for adult learners. Online classes will allow you to complete your training at your own pace and on your own schedule.
This is key for maintaining time with family and other responsibilities as you embark on this exciting career path. Moreover, mentor support ensures that you get more than just an online class. One-on-one sessions with a mentor help students build on what they learn in their lessons and offer support for personal and professional growth.
5. Find out if textbooks are included in the cost of the program
Electronic Medical Record textbooks can be expensive! Make sure to find a program that doesn’t charge extra for books. This is an important factor in the affordability of a program.
Students can get left out of studies if they do not have additional funds for books. We understand that concern and we can help!
6. (Bonus!) We have found an online training program that meets all of these criteria!
We’ve done the research for you!
We have found an online program for you that checks all the boxes, and then some!
Let us introduce you to:
Preppy’s Online Electronic Health Records Specialist Training Program!
Electronic Health Records Professional Salary Data
How much do Electronic Health Records Management Professionals make?
Here is the salary and growth data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
According to the BLS data from 2021, the median annual salary was $46,660 or $22.43 per hour. The majority of these professionals worked in general medical and surgical hospitals.
Other industries offer even higher pay for EHR management professionals. For instance, pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing offered the highest average annual wage at $62,740.
Electronic Health Records Job Growth Projections and Forecast
How fast is the Electronic Health Records Management Professional field growing?
The BLS predicted employment of health IT specialists would increase by 7% from 2021 to 2031. That is faster than the average for all other occupations.
The Covid-19 outbreak has put the focus back on the health care systems, especially EHR systems with studies showing that digitized and advanced health information systems are essential to handling epidemics and other similar health emergencies.
This increase in demand is attributed to a few different things:
- An increase in the aging baby boomer population will require more medical treatment
- Not just that, more and more people now have access to affordable healthcare. Both these factors have added to increased demand in the healthcare industry for professionals who understand the need.
- Additionally, the government mandate has caused the expansion of the use of electronic health records. EHR is being adopted now more than ever and this means a flourishing career for many people.
Those candidates with the best chance of landing a job will be the ones who have trained and gotten their certification. Luckily we can connect you with authorized schools or accredited universities that offer this training!
How to Find a Job as an Electronic Health Records Management Professional
Your first step toward your career as an EHR management specialist is to complete the certification training program through an accredited university. This will ensure a solid educational foundation and get you ready to enter the job market.
Next, you’ll want to determine what setting you’d like to work in. The entire medical community relies on the technologists to keep operations running smoothly, so you’ll have a choice of where you’d like to work.
For instance, you could work in private practices, hospitals, home health agencies, nursing homes, mental health facilities, and public health agencies, to name a few types of facilities.
Still, other EHR management professionals may choose to work for organizations that do not provide direct medical care, such as public health agencies, government agencies, consulting firms, insurance companies, and software vendors.
As you can see, you have a lot of options. So spend some time figuring out where you think you’d be happiest.
Your next step is to gain some critical hands-on experience so you stand out as a candidate. The good news is a quality certification program will include an externship so you can gain some hands-on experience!
Frequently Asked Questions
Additional questions and answers you may have about Electronic Health Records Management Professional.
Q: What Does an Electronic Health Records Management Professional Do Every Day?
A: These specialists are in charge of sometimes building the record keeping system. They also implement and maintain patient records. This is a big responsibility because this is sensitive data which must be stored privately and securely.
Q: What is an Electronic Health Records Management Professional Certification?
A: An EHR management certification is a valuable asset to have as it shows prospective employers that you have taken the time to get obtain a proper education. This certification will help you stand apart from the crowd and hopefully get your resume to the top of the pile!
Q: What Skills Will I Learn in Electronic Health Records Management Professional Training?
A: Your focus will be on computer sciences and information technology. You may also spend some time with math and medical terminology as well as data base construction and management.
Q: What Are the Prerequisites for Enrollment in a Certificate Program?
A: The only requirement for enrollment in these programs is a high school diploma or equivalent.
How to Start Towards an Electronic Health Records Professional Career In 2-4 Months
Even if you don’t have any prior experience or degree – you could start a career as an EHR management specialist in just 2-4 months!
That’s one of the greatest advantages of this profession.
An EHR management certification is required or preferred by most employers. Plus, taking a certification program could be the best way to get your foot in the door, build your network, get training, and work experience.
Preppy’s Online EHR Tech Training Program could be your one-step solution for everything you need to become an EHR Tech.
How? Well, Preppy’s program offers:
- Fully Online, Self-Paced Learning
- Comprehensive CEHRS Certification Exam Preparation
- An Externship Opportunity For Real Work Experience
- Affordable Programs and Low Monthly Payments
- University Certificate of Completion, from an accredited and not-for-profit university
If you are ready to get started on an exciting and rewarding career in healthcare, then click here to learn more about Preppy’s program! Your career in EHR Tech is just a good online program away!