Academic and professional objectives for electronic health record system consultant certification

Personal Academic and Professional Objectives

From an academic perspective, a certificate in Electronic Health Record System Consultant will in basic terms first and foremost equip me with the necessary skills required for the maintenance, collection as well as analysis of healthcare data relied upon by healthcare providers in the delivery of services to patients. If I successfully complete the training, I am convinced that I will have developed professional skills necessary for the effective management of all medical information as well as records of patients.

Further, by undertaking a certificate in Electronic Health Record System Consultant, I seek to acquire hands-on skills not only in regard to coding diagnoses but also in the relevant reimbursement procedures. I am convinced that the certification in this case will prepare me to offer my services in a wide variety of settings including but not limited to government agencies, electronic health record system software firms, clinics and physician offices, hospitals etc. However, most specifically, this course will prepare me to also work as a project manager. In that regard, the course will sharpen my skills in readiness for tasks to do with either the implementation or management of projects having their sights set on healthcare technology. Already, I have a strong background in Information Technology (IT) and hence I am familiar with computer information systems. This I believe will ease my understanding of the Electronic Health Record System amongst other things.

Given the need to enhance as well as promote the use of health information technology especially with the passage of the HITECH Act, the relevance of a certificate in Electronic Health Record System Consultant cannot be overstated. With a vast majority of healthcare institutions having implemented an electronic health record system, there is a growing need for competent health record system consultants to help health professionals deliver safe and efficient healthcare services to patients. This is therefore an area that presents enormous opportunities for career growth.

As I have already highlighted elsewhere in this text, I recognize that with the skills gathered from the training, I could work in a wide range of areas including government agencies, clinics and physician offices etc. However, in an attempt to integrate my personal goals with my professional goals, establishing a consultancy firm remains the most logical step for me. From a professional perspective, with the knowledge gained from the training, I plan to play an active role in the enhancement of patient health information management amongst other tasks by establishing a consultancy service. However, before launching my consultancy firm, I could seek to work in some of the areas already highlighted in the text above. My reasoning in this case is based on the need to gather the necessary experience and build contacts that could come in handy much later.