Improving Health Informatics Competencies Using an Open-source Educational EHR

Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems are widely implemented in the US, with over 90% providers using some EHR as their primary source of patient data. However, health informatics training programs have many barriers to using real clinical data in an EHR that providers use. In this paper, we describe the implementation of OpenEMR as an educational EHR using real clinical data with continuity of care and its integration into relevant health informatics courses. The educational EHR system was developed by importing Consolidated Clinical Document Architecture (CCDA) documents for 100 patients having multiple visits and discharge summaries of different age groups from the MIMIC IV v2.0 dataset. We are implementing the system in a phased manner in 6 graduate courses and 3 undergraduate courses that cover many health informatics competencies, such as Clinical Information Systems, Clinical Decision Support Systems, Health Information Management-Medical Terminology, and Scientific and Clinical Data Management. The system includes functionalities for patient data collection, storage, retrieval, and performing clinical tasks like documenting patient encounters, e-prescription, ordering, and scheduling appointments and referrals, allowing students to go beyond EHR users to become EHR administrators, developers, and innovators. This educational EHR system is helping implement competency-based education and changing courses in our graduate program to active, hands-on learning.