Enter EHR supporting healthcare applications

EHR the electronic health record system is digitizing the patient information that makes information sharing easy, quick, information easily accessible. As a result of realizing the importance of EHR many healthcare organizations, medical practice started implementing EHR system in their practice. Once the EHR is in place this application needs some real good support. EHR Application support career is gaining real good popularity. Lets explore the job requirements, typical job duties, qualifications that will help you land in this promising career: 1) EHR is healthcare information system. Prior experience and expertise with healthcare information system and technologies will be the first qualification to start with. Some EHR support is looking for subject matter expertise and they eventually train the SME in EHR 2) Though EHR is healthcare IT if you have some core SME there is a great possibility of finding EHR career inspite of lack of computer knowledge. Many organizations look for Subject matter expertise and choose to train the functional candidates in EHR technology 3) As an application analyst you should be confortable with workflow in place to understand the screen navigation and determine the root cause of the issue if any 4) You are responsible for designing, configuring, testing, implementing, supporting the application 5) Support the clinical, and ancillary healthcare information systems used for the delivery of patient care and other supporting functions of the organization 6) The EHR systems can include one or more of the following : EPIC EHR, EPIC Clarity, EPIC Centricity, Allscripts SCM, Allscripts Ambulatory, Allscripts SRX, Amelior, Exit Care, ExitWriter etc 7) As with any implementation EHR implementation projects involve stakeholders who are customer/client, department personnel, end users, members of needed department units, business units 8) Change requests from customers needs to be evaluated. Customer requests can include creating custom scripts for data retrieval, performance problems in system, optimization needs, adhoc tools for missing features etc 9) Works together with clinical advisory and business advisory groups to provide system solutions that support and enhance the adoption of the electronic medical record and its supporting components 10) Building and maintaining all system dictionaries, profiles, tables and other configuration points related to EHR 11) Troubleshooting and assisting with the resolution of application errors and other system issues 12) Make a note of requests from customers and see if this can be considered a system enhancement request 13) Participate in system design, system enhancement, system remediation sessions that involve system analysts, developers etc 14) Testing the system , including any configurations, customizations and new releases, prior to production implementations by maintaining a separate test server that is an exact replica of up-to-date production 15) Create system reports by collecting the end user requirement and co-ordinating the same to report personnel. In some instances they develop adhoc tools if they are comfortable with basic SQL 16) Communicate the system changes that involves upgrades, feature implementation etc to end users before the system goes live 17) Support applications day to day that includes creation of documents, maintain documents, procedures and processes to maintain systems 18) Work with vendors involving third party vendor integration 19) Travel to client site becomes part of job routine 20) Must be willing to support the application 24x7 basis as this is related to healthcare What are the educational qualification or expertise expected out of the candidates looking to take up application support in EHR? 1) Healthcare IT knowledge is an asset. However, medical core functional personnel like physicians, surgeon, nurses, nurse practitioner, physician assistant etc looking for a career change can choose to apply for this role. They can leverage their subject matter expertise and get trained in EHR 2) Understanding of differences of inpatient and outpatient settings 3) Functional knowledge of HL7 interfaces and the ability to analyze interface errors from various clinical applications would be a plus 4) Knowledge of HL7 engine like mirth is preferred 5) Most EHR implementations make use of HL7 and this technical knowledge comes handy 6) Resolve the most complex, multi-function application errors and system issues 7) Manages system enhancement requests directly with the vendor and various IT Technical teams 8) Must possess workflow understanding 9) Very good interpersonal skill would be an asset