Electronic Health Records: Emerging field ripe with employment opportunities

One of the hottest career fields in the healthcare industry doesn’t require a stethoscope or even a bachelor’s degree.

Tidewater Community College’s Career Studies Certificate in Electronic Health Records System Consulting prepares students to assist healthcare providers with the transition from paper-based medical records to the nationally mandated electronic system.

The 20-credit hour program will begin as soon as Sept. 17 with all classes being held from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Regional Health Professions Center on the Virginia Beach Campus.

Courses – a combination of online and face-to-face – range from BUS 208 Quality and Productivity Management to HLT 295 Topics in Electronic Health Records Consulting to ITE 102 Computers and Information Systems.

The course sequence spans approximately six months. Working professionals and high school graduates with an interest in healthcare or information technology are encouraged to apply.

“Students with a background in healthcare and IT have an advantage,” said E-Health faculty coordinator Terry Corrigan. “But we are all-inclusive, so we can help students who have an interest and want to make it through.”

The program is supported by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Education and Training Administration through a grant under the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grants Program.

While TCC had offered a similar program in previous semesters under another federal grant, this is a new set of classes and criteria under Corrigan.

“We are requiring more academic components now based on input from employers,” said Corrigan, noting to complete the program students must enroll on their own in one math and one English course offered through the college. “Because many students already have a math or English class completed, it may be that many students are already closer to completion before starting,” she said.

Current professionals in the field, whether they are nurses, administrators or IT specialists can benefit from the program as well, and can choose to update their skills by taking only part of the 20 credits. The faculty teaching the program courses, many of whom work in the field, are committed to make the program as hands-on as possible.

The program trains students for job growth that is expected to balloon by 20 percent by 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“Electronic health records training is essential, for those already in the healthcare industry or someone new to the field,” Corrigan said. “We have an advantage in Hampton Roads because of the large number of healthcare providers in the area. This is a field that is not going away.”

For information on the program, call Terry Corrigan at 757-822-7552 or email her at tcorrigan@tcc.edu.