Assessing Physician Assistant Student Electronic Health Record Competency Using an Objective Structured Clinical...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Informatics
• Physician Assistant Studies

Background:

• Effective use of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) is crucial for modern healthcare delivery.
• Physician Assistant (PA) training must encompass proficiency in EHR communication and data management.
• Assessing student competency in EHR use is vital for ensuring quality patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the competency of didactic year PA students in EHR communication and data management.
• To identify specific areas of strength and weakness in student EHR skills.
• To inform curricular adjustments for enhancing PA student EHR proficiency.

Main Methods:

• An Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) was employed as the primary assessment tool.
• The OSCE simulated clinical scenarios requiring EHR interaction.
• Student performance was evaluated based on communication and data management within the EHR system.

Main Results:

• The majority of PA students exhibited adequate overall EHR communication skills.
• Few students consistently performed patient identification verification or optimized computer positioning for patient-centered communication.
• A notable number of students demonstrated limited proficiency in reviewing patient history and medication data within the EHR.

Conclusions:

• OSCEs are effective tools for assessing EHR competency in PA students.
• Findings indicate a need for targeted curricular improvements in EHR data management and patient-centered communication.
• Enhancing EHR skills through focused education will better prepare PA graduates for clinical practice.