The DPRC™ Study Guide

Complete course material for instructor assisted or self-study for the DPRC™ certification exam.

The study guide includes competency-specific learning objectives, a detailed overview of knowledge areas, sample questions, and exam reference information. Brian Gugerty, DNS, MS, RN, Gugerty Consulting, LLC, Don E. Detmer, MD, MA, AMIA past President & CEO, and John Poikonen, PharmD authored the study guide and provided expertise for the exam/certification.

Measure your healthcare professionals and students’ electronic record keeping competency with the DPRC digital patient record^TM certification exam

What is the DPRC certification exam?

Healthcare professionals today are faced with a technology-driven environment, one in which their knowledge of operating Health Information Systems that manage the entire patient environment are essential. The DPRC certification was developed to assess a healthcare professional’s ability to accurately, dependably, and legally manage patient records in this environment.

As healthcare providers migrate to a Health Information System form of medical record keeping, providers must insure that all healthcare professionals understand the operational environment that affect medical outcomes - including the providers’ regulatory responsibilities - before allowing professionals to operate in this new record setting.

Who should take the DPRC certification?

Healthcare providers and academic institutions employing and training current and future workers who will use a digital input device to manage electronic health records in a HIS and thereby effect the outcome of a patient’s treatment or legal rights.

Why is the DRPC certification important?

Medical records have rapidly moved from the clipboard to the digital platform, and healthcare workers in all lines of work are now required to input, access, and make use of an array of sophisticated digital information.  Healthcare professionals today are faced with a technology driven environment, one in which their skills in operating new Health Information Systems are necessary to succeed.  The DPRC was developed to assess a healthcare professional’s ability to accurately, dependably, and legally manage digital patient records in this rapidly changing environment. 

What does the DPRC certification assess?

The DPRC certification may be administered in individual and group settings to assess health care workers’ understanding of the most commonly used methods of inputting and accessing digital patient records.  Medical Informatics courses taught in American higher education institutions were extensively studied to determine the range of material covered in such courses.  Furthermore, the Health Information Systems of the US Veterans Administration and major hospitals were examined to determine the manner in which HIS systems receive and display patient health information.  The DPRC certification was written to assess the complexity of information found in these higher education and hospital settings.

Which Professional Organization endorses the DPRC?

The DPRC certification was developed in cooperation with the American Medical Informatics Association, an organization that has endorsed this assessment instrument.  AMIA plays a pivotal role in the transformation of the US health system and makes measurable contributions to the improvement of health of the nation through continued development and implementation of health information technology. AMIA is an integrating force that strengthens the nation’s ability to create and manage the science and knowledge base of health care. AMIA is active in the development of global health information policy and technology with particular emphasis on using health information technology to meet the health needs of underserved populations.

The DPRC certification was developed collaboratively with Test Development Experts, experienced Psychometricians, The American Medical Informatics Association and; medical and nursing school faculty, hospital administrators, medical practice consultants, and the US Health and Human Services Office of Digital Patient Records serving as Subject Matter Experts.

Key Features of DPRC?

• • The DPRC certification test is administered through a secure Internet connection with minimal setup and system requirements.
• Students and other healthcare professionals take the DPRC certification test using campus or hospital computers in a secure, proctored environment
• Students, faculty and staff receive immediate results upon competing test
• Test questions quickly and efficiently assess a student’s basic knowledge of HIS systems concepts, due care responsibilities, user skills, and policies and procedures that must control the HIS environment.
• DPRC certification possesses extensive reporting capabilities
• DPRC certification provides quick and professional technical and customer support