Office Administrative Assistant Practice Exam

How does the Medical Front Office Assistant make a correction to the EMR?

1. Delete the incorrect entry

2. Add a new entry or addendum with the correct information

3. Contact the IT department for changes

4. Write the correction in a notepad

The correct answer is: Add a new entry or addendum with the correct information

The correct approach for a Medical Front Office Assistant to make a correction to the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) is to add a new entry or addendum with the correct information. This method ensures that there is a clear, traceable record of what was originally entered and what the correction entails. By adding an addendum, the assistant maintains the integrity of the medical record, allowing for transparency regarding changes made. It also helps in upholding legal and regulatory standards that mandate accurate patient documentation. The practice of documenting corrections through an addendum rather than deleting entries preserves the original data, preserving a full audit trail essential for medical history, accountability, and legal protection. Other methods, such as deleting an incorrect entry, do not provide a record of the original information, which could complicate patient care and legal proceedings. Contacting the IT department might not be necessary for minor corrections, and writing the correction in a notepad is not a formal or accepted way to amend official medical records, which must be clearly documented in the EMR itself.