Best EHR/EMR Test for Hiring: Epic, Athena, Cerner & Alternatives

Electronic Health Records (EHR/EMR) systems like Epic, Cerner, and Athena dominate healthcare operations. Staff who can navigate them rapidly—finding patient demographics, logging encounters, ordering medications, managing schedules—reduce delays and errors. Yet many candidates claim EHR experience without proof, and hiring managers rarely test it.

This guide covers how to assess EHR proficiency, whether to test platform-specific skills (Epic, Athena) or general EHR knowledge, and how to measure competency before day one.

The EHR Proficiency Gap

A data entry clerk who's never used an EHR takes 2–3 weeks to onboard. An Epic-trained candidate steps in day one. The difference compounds: a slow EHR user makes coding errors (missed charges), creates bottlenecks (scheduling delays), and frustrates colleagues.

Yet EHR skills are hard to spot in interviews. Candidates describe using Epic or Athena, but can they actually log in, search records, or document an encounter? Assessment closes that gap.

EHR Proficiency Spectrum

1. General EHR Literacy (All Roles)

Definition: Understand EHR concepts, navigation, and workflows without platform specificity.

Roles: Front-desk, scheduling, patient access, clinical support.

Assessment method: Scenario questions, conceptual MCQ, recorded demo tasks.

Example questions:

"You need to verify a patient's current insurance in the EHR. Walk us through the steps conceptually. What information do you look for?"

Scoring: Look for: patient search, demographics tab, insurance section, current vs. historical cards, verification status.

"In an EHR, what's the difference between an encounter note and a problem list? When would you use each?"

Correct answer: Encounter notes document specific visits; problem lists track ongoing conditions (diabetes, hypertension). Encounter notes feed the problem list over time.

2. Platform-Specific Proficiency (Epic, Athena, Cerner)

Definition: Hands-on ability to navigate and complete tasks in a specific EHR system.

Roles: Medical coders, prior authorization staff, clinical documentation specialists, medical records.

Assessment method: Live demo or recorded task in sandbox environment.

Epic example:

"Log into Epic sandbox. Find patient 'Jane Smith' (DOB 01/15/1985). Locate her active medications and verify the most recent allergy record. Screenshot key findings."

Scoring: Correct patient search, accurate medication list retrieval, allergy documentation located, screenshots clear and relevant.

Athena example:

"In Athena, submit a claim for a recent visit. Walk us through the steps from encounter to claim submission. What fields must be filled?"

Scoring: Logical navigation, awareness of required fields (provider, dates, codes), understanding of claim status and submission workflow.

Building an EHR Assessment

Approach 1: General EHR + Platform-Specific Branching

Step 1 (All candidates): 20-minute general EHR literacy test

• 8 MCQ (EHR concepts, workflows)
• 2 scenario responses (patient lookup, documentation)
• Passing score: 70%

Step 2 (If passing Step 1): Platform-specific test (conditional)

• 30-minute live demo or recorded task in sandbox
• Candidates select their platform (Epic, Athena, Cerner, other)
• Passing score: 75% (task completion + efficiency)

Advantage: Separates foundational knowledge from platform mastery. Good for mixed teams or candidates transitioning between systems.

Approach 2: Platform-Specific Only

If all your staff use Epic, test Epic exclusively.

Duration: 45–60 minutes

• 10 MCQ on Epic terminology and workflow
• 3–4 live sandbox tasks (patient search, encounter logging, order management)
• Passing score: 75%

Advantage: Direct relevance, no noise. Candidates either can or can't do the job.

Approach 3: Hybrid (Recommended)

Part A (General, 15 min): EHR concepts, common workflows, confidentiality Part B (Platform, 30 min): Your EHR system (Epic/Athena/Cerner), live or recorded tasks Total: 45 minutes, pass at 70% overall (both parts)

Use ClarityHire's assessment platform to deliver multi-part tests, branch based on Part A scores, and record sandbox sessions for asynchronous review.

Platform-Specific Testing Logistics

Epic Testing

Sandbox access: Epic provides training environments. Request a credential for candidates or use a shared demo account.

Sample tasks:

• Search for patient by MRN, name, or date of birth
• Retrieve active medication list
• Document a new encounter (select visit type, enter chief complaint, log vital signs)
• Order a lab test; verify order status
• Schedule a follow-up appointment

Time per task: 3–5 minutes; expect candidate to complete 3–4 tasks in 30 minutes.

Red flags:

• Cannot locate patient information (basic functionality)
• Unsure where to find medication lists or allergy records
• Slow navigation (takes >2 minutes for simple lookups)
• Errors in order entry (wrong test, missing required fields)

Athena Testing

Sandbox access: Athena offers training instances. Similar to Epic, request credentials.

Sample tasks:

• Search for patient; verify insurance and demographic accuracy
• Log an encounter with visit type, provider, and code selection
• Process a payment or write-off
• View claims aging or denial reasons
• Schedule appointment with conflict checking

Time per task: 2–4 minutes.

Cerner Testing

Sandbox access: Cerner's PowerChart training environments. Request access.

Sample tasks:

• Navigate to patient chart
• Review orders and results
• Document vital signs and chief complaint
• Manage medication list
• Verify allergies and adverse reactions

Scoring EHR Proficiency

Objective Criteria (MCQ, Conceptual)

Correct or incorrect. No partial credit.

Practical Tasks (Sandbox, Live Demo)

Use a rubric:

Score: 13–16 = 4.0, 10–12 = 3.0, 7–9 = 2.0, <7 = 1.0

Average across tasks. Passing: 3.0+ (proficient), 2.5+ (learnable in onboarding).

Timing Considerations

• MCQ/conceptual: 15–20 minutes
• Sandbox tasks: 30–45 minutes (3–4 tasks)
• Recording review: 10–15 minutes (if asynchronous)
• Total: 45–75 minutes depending on complexity

ClarityHire records sandbox sessions, so you can review asynchronously (helpful for candidates in different time zones) or live for real-time assessment.

Red Flags & Ramp-Up Risks

High risk (don't hire for advanced roles):

• Cannot locate basic patient information
• Unsure of encounter navigation
• Slow or inefficient searching
• Confuses similar functions (order vs. result entry)

Medium risk (hire with training plan):

• Understands concepts but slow on execution
• Makes occasional navigation errors
• Needs guidance on less common workflows

Low risk (ready to contribute):

• Smooth navigation, quick task completion
• Proactive problem-solving ("I'd look in the orders tab next")
• Comfortable with system's quirks and workarounds

Compliance & Validation Notes

EHR testing doesn't violate patient privacy (you use sandbox/demo data) or HIPAA (no real patient information is accessed). However:

• Use only sandbox or training instances — never test with real patient data
• Validate predictive value — correlate test scores with onboarding speed and error rates
• Document your assessment — keep results for hiring audits
• Offer accommodations — candidates with visual or motor disabilities may need alternative task formats or extended time

Bringing It Together

EHR proficiency is measurable, not subjective. Whether testing general EHR literacy or platform-specific skills (Epic, Athena, Cerner), use structured assessment with clear rubrics and sandbox tasks. Candidates who ace your EHR test onboard faster, make fewer errors, and reduce training costs.

Start assessing your next healthcare hire—explore ClarityHire's healthcare hiring solutions to add EHR testing to your process.