EPIC Training Fundamentals Study Guide 2026
Course
Epic
1. What is the primary purpose of an electronic health record (EHR)?
A. To replace healthcare professionals
B. To organize, store, and provide authorized access to patient health information
C. To manage employee schedules only
D. To eliminate clinical documentation
Answer: B. To organize, store, and provide authorized access to patient health information
Rationale: An EHR brings together patient information that authorized healthcare professionals
can use for documentation, communication, care coordination, and clinical decision-making.
2. What does Epic primarily provide in a healthcare setting?
A. A platform for managing electronic health information and clinical workflows
B. A replacement for medical education
C. A patient's personal social-media account
D. A system used only for payroll
Answer: A. A platform for managing electronic health information and clinical workflows
Rationale: Epic is a healthcare information technology platform used by organizations for
functions such as clinical documentation, orders, results, scheduling, communication, and other
workflows.
3. Why is patient identification a critical first step when working in an EHR?
A. It improves computer speed
B. It helps prevent information from being entered into the wrong patient's record
C. It eliminates the need for passwords
D. It automatically verifies every clinical decision
Answer: B. It helps prevent information from being entered into the wrong patient's record
Rationale: Selecting the wrong patient can lead to incorrect documentation, inappropriate
clinical actions, and privacy problems. Appropriate identifiers should be used before proceeding.
4. Which is an appropriate patient-identification practice?
A. Selecting a patient based only on a familiar first name
B. Using appropriate identifiers according to organizational policy
,C. Selecting the first patient in a search result
D. Asking another patient to identify the correct chart
Answer: B. Using appropriate identifiers according to organizational policy
Rationale: Multiple appropriate identifiers help distinguish patients, especially when names or
other demographic information are similar.
5. What is authentication in an EHR system?
A. The process of verifying a user's identity
B. The process of diagnosing a patient
C. The process of ordering laboratory tests
D. The process of scheduling an appointment
Answer: A. The process of verifying a user's identity
Rationale: Authentication establishes that the person attempting to access the system is an
authorized user, commonly through credentials or other authentication methods.
6. Why should each user have their own EHR credentials?
A. To make passwords easier to share
B. To support security and accountability
C. To allow everyone administrator access
D. To prevent documentation
Answer: B. To support security and accountability
Rationale: Individual accounts allow activity to be associated with the appropriate user and help
protect patient information.
7. Which behavior is inappropriate when using EHR credentials?
A. Keeping credentials confidential
B. Logging out or locking the workstation when appropriate
C. Sharing credentials with another employee
D. Using authorized authentication methods
Answer: C. Sharing credentials with another employee
Rationale: Credentials should remain personal. Sharing accounts undermines security and
makes it difficult to determine who performed an action.
8. What should a user generally do before leaving an unattended workstation?
A. Leave the patient's chart visible
B. Lock or otherwise secure the workstation according to policy
, C. Give the keyboard to another employee
D. Write the password beside the computer
Answer: B. Lock or otherwise secure the workstation according to policy
Rationale: Securing the workstation helps prevent unauthorized individuals from viewing or
changing protected patient information.
9. What is the purpose of an EHR user interface?
A. To provide a way for users to interact with system functions and information
B. To replace all clinical workflows
C. To prevent users from accessing patient information
D. To eliminate system security
Answer: A. To provide a way for users to interact with system functions and information
Rationale: The user interface presents information and functionality through screens, menus,
buttons, tabs, fields, and other navigation elements.
10. Why should users become familiar with their organization's specific Epic
configuration?
A. Every organization uses exactly the same workflows
B. Organizations may configure workflows, roles, and functionality differently
C. Configuration has no effect on users
D. It eliminates the need for training
Answer: B. Organizations may configure workflows, roles, and functionality differently
Rationale: Although Epic provides common functionality, individual healthcare organizations
can configure the system according to their clinical and operational requirements.
11. What is a workspace in an EHR?
A. An environment where a user accesses information and performs workflow-related tasks
B. A physical storage room
C. A patient's insurance plan
D. A computer's hardware component
Answer: A. An environment where a user accesses information and performs workflow-
related tasks
Rationale: EHR workspaces organize relevant information and functions for particular users,
departments, or clinical activities.
12. What is the benefit of organizing EHR information into tabs, sections, or activities?
Course
Epic
1. What is the primary purpose of an electronic health record (EHR)?
A. To replace healthcare professionals
B. To organize, store, and provide authorized access to patient health information
C. To manage employee schedules only
D. To eliminate clinical documentation
Answer: B. To organize, store, and provide authorized access to patient health information
Rationale: An EHR brings together patient information that authorized healthcare professionals
can use for documentation, communication, care coordination, and clinical decision-making.
2. What does Epic primarily provide in a healthcare setting?
A. A platform for managing electronic health information and clinical workflows
B. A replacement for medical education
C. A patient's personal social-media account
D. A system used only for payroll
Answer: A. A platform for managing electronic health information and clinical workflows
Rationale: Epic is a healthcare information technology platform used by organizations for
functions such as clinical documentation, orders, results, scheduling, communication, and other
workflows.
3. Why is patient identification a critical first step when working in an EHR?
A. It improves computer speed
B. It helps prevent information from being entered into the wrong patient's record
C. It eliminates the need for passwords
D. It automatically verifies every clinical decision
Answer: B. It helps prevent information from being entered into the wrong patient's record
Rationale: Selecting the wrong patient can lead to incorrect documentation, inappropriate
clinical actions, and privacy problems. Appropriate identifiers should be used before proceeding.
4. Which is an appropriate patient-identification practice?
A. Selecting a patient based only on a familiar first name
B. Using appropriate identifiers according to organizational policy
,C. Selecting the first patient in a search result
D. Asking another patient to identify the correct chart
Answer: B. Using appropriate identifiers according to organizational policy
Rationale: Multiple appropriate identifiers help distinguish patients, especially when names or
other demographic information are similar.
5. What is authentication in an EHR system?
A. The process of verifying a user's identity
B. The process of diagnosing a patient
C. The process of ordering laboratory tests
D. The process of scheduling an appointment
Answer: A. The process of verifying a user's identity
Rationale: Authentication establishes that the person attempting to access the system is an
authorized user, commonly through credentials or other authentication methods.
6. Why should each user have their own EHR credentials?
A. To make passwords easier to share
B. To support security and accountability
C. To allow everyone administrator access
D. To prevent documentation
Answer: B. To support security and accountability
Rationale: Individual accounts allow activity to be associated with the appropriate user and help
protect patient information.
7. Which behavior is inappropriate when using EHR credentials?
A. Keeping credentials confidential
B. Logging out or locking the workstation when appropriate
C. Sharing credentials with another employee
D. Using authorized authentication methods
Answer: C. Sharing credentials with another employee
Rationale: Credentials should remain personal. Sharing accounts undermines security and
makes it difficult to determine who performed an action.
8. What should a user generally do before leaving an unattended workstation?
A. Leave the patient's chart visible
B. Lock or otherwise secure the workstation according to policy
, C. Give the keyboard to another employee
D. Write the password beside the computer
Answer: B. Lock or otherwise secure the workstation according to policy
Rationale: Securing the workstation helps prevent unauthorized individuals from viewing or
changing protected patient information.
9. What is the purpose of an EHR user interface?
A. To provide a way for users to interact with system functions and information
B. To replace all clinical workflows
C. To prevent users from accessing patient information
D. To eliminate system security
Answer: A. To provide a way for users to interact with system functions and information
Rationale: The user interface presents information and functionality through screens, menus,
buttons, tabs, fields, and other navigation elements.
10. Why should users become familiar with their organization's specific Epic
configuration?
A. Every organization uses exactly the same workflows
B. Organizations may configure workflows, roles, and functionality differently
C. Configuration has no effect on users
D. It eliminates the need for training
Answer: B. Organizations may configure workflows, roles, and functionality differently
Rationale: Although Epic provides common functionality, individual healthcare organizations
can configure the system according to their clinical and operational requirements.
11. What is a workspace in an EHR?
A. An environment where a user accesses information and performs workflow-related tasks
B. A physical storage room
C. A patient's insurance plan
D. A computer's hardware component
Answer: A. An environment where a user accesses information and performs workflow-
related tasks
Rationale: EHR workspaces organize relevant information and functions for particular users,
departments, or clinical activities.
12. What is the benefit of organizing EHR information into tabs, sections, or activities?
