AHI-DHS-C201 - Electronic Health Records (EHRs) & Health IT Systems (Shared Track)

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) & Health IT Systems
From Clinical Encounters to Connected Care: How EHRs Transform Healthcare Delivery

This course introduces the principles, functions, and real-world application of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and Health IT Systems through an applied, healthcare workflow-focused lens. Learners explore how patient information is captured, managed, shared, and used throughout the continuum of care, from registration and clinical documentation to reporting, decision support, and population health management.

Using OpenMRS as a hands-on learning platform, participants gain practical experience navigating an EHR environment while developing an understanding of the people, processes, workflows, and technologies that make digital healthcare possible. The course emphasizes how EHRs support clinicians, administrators, health information managers, researchers, and public health professionals in delivering safer, more coordinated, and more efficient care.

The course focuses on answering critical health information system questions:

• How does patient information move through a healthcare system?
• What information should be captured, structured, and maintained?
• How do EHRs support clinical decision-making and care coordination?
• Why do many EHR implementations succeed or fail?
• How can digital systems improve healthcare quality, efficiency, and outcomes?

Through practical OpenMRS exercises, workflow analyses, implementation case studies, and real-world healthcare scenarios, learners will develop the ability to understand healthcare processes from both clinical and technical perspectives. By the end of the course, participants will be able to evaluate EHR workflows, identify opportunities for improvement, understand key implementation considerations, and apply EHR concepts to support healthcare delivery and digital transformation initiatives in both LMIC and high-resource settings.

Course Theme: From Clinical Encounters to Connected Care: Understanding How Health Information Becomes Actionable Through Electronic Health Records.