EHR Practice Test

This page is for candidates preparing for the National Healthcareer Association electronic health records exam. It offers free practice sets on topics such as privacy and security, interoperability, revenue cycle and clinical workflow, plus worked questions, a study plan and the key exam facts: 100 scored questions, 125 minutes and a scaled passing score of 390.

EHR Exam at a Glance

What the EHR is and how it works

According to National Healthcareer Association, “Scaled scores range from 200 to 500 and require that you meet a scaled passing score of 390 or higher to pass any examination covered in this Handbook.”^[2]

The National Healthcareer Association offers this certification for people who work with electronic health records in clinics, hospitals and billing offices. It checks that you can handle the records, workflow, compliance and reporting tasks that come up in daily practice.

You take the exam at your school, at a PSI testing center, or through live remote proctoring at the location of your choice. The test has 100 scored questions plus 25 pretest items, and you get 125 minutes. Scores are scaled from 200 to 500, and you need 390 or higher to pass. For online exams, NHA posts results to your account page within two days of scoring.

Eligibility is a high school diploma or GED plus training or work experience in the field. The exact rules and the exam price can change, so confirm both on the official NHA certification page before you register.

If you do not pass, you must re-register and pay the full exam price for each retake. You wait at least 30 days between attempts. After 3 attempts, a 1-year wait applies. The certification is valid for 2 years. Renewal takes 10 continuing education credits and a recertification fee.

EHR content outline and where to practise each area

The content areas below are copied from the official EHR content outline published by National Healthcareer Association. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.

Worked examples: how to reason through EHR questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: A practice wants to track which staff member modified a patient's medication list and when. Which EHR feature provides this information?

1. Patient portal messaging history
2. Audit log or audit trail
3. Billing transaction history
4. Appointment scheduling calendar

Answer: B. Audit log or audit trail

Explanation:

The answer is the audit log or audit trail. It records who accessed or changed a record, what they did and when, so it is the feature that shows which staff member modified a medication list. Portal messaging history only shows communication between the practice and the patient. Billing transaction history tracks charges and payments, not clinical edits. The appointment calendar tracks scheduling, not changes to the chart. Rule to remember: when a question asks who did what and when, think audit trail. It supports accountability and compliance, and it is separate from messaging, billing and scheduling tools.

Example 2

Question: What does 'patient activation' measure in the context of portal engagement?

1. The number of portal logins per patient per year
2. The degree to which a patient understands and takes action in managing their own health
3. Whether a patient has completed portal enrollment
4. The patient's adherence to appointment schedules

Answer: B. The degree to which a patient understands and takes action in managing their own health

Explanation:

Patient activation describes how well a patient understands and acts on managing their own health: their knowledge, skills and confidence. That makes the second option correct. Counting portal logins measures usage, which can be high without the patient doing anything useful. Completing enrollment only shows that an account exists. Following appointment schedules is one behavior, not the whole idea. Rule to remember: activity counts such as logins or sign-ups measure use of a tool, while activation measures the patient's capability and willingness to manage care. Portal tools aim to raise the second, not just the first.

Example 3

Question: What does CPOE stand for in the context of EHR systems?

1. Computerized Provider Order Entry
2. Clinical Patient Outcome Evaluation
3. Certified Pharmacy Order Exchange
4. Comprehensive Patient Order Entry

Answer: A. Computerized Provider Order Entry

Explanation:

CPOE stands for Computerized Provider Order Entry. It lets clinicians enter medical orders electronically instead of writing them by hand, which reduces transcription errors. The other options are invented phrases that sound plausible. Clinical Patient Outcome Evaluation sounds like quality measurement, Certified Pharmacy Order Exchange sounds like pharmacy messaging, and Comprehensive Patient Order Entry swaps the word provider for patient. Rule to remember: in CPOE the person entering the order is the provider, and the point of the system is to replace handwritten or verbal orders. Learn the common EHR acronyms word by word, because the wrong options often change only one word.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official NHA test plan and candidate handbook so you know the content areas and the rules for scoring and retakes. Then take the full practice test once without notes to find your weak areas.

Use that result to choose topic sets. If privacy and access questions cost you points, work through Health Information Privacy & Security. If billing questions were weak, try Revenue Cycle & Billing Integration. Other useful sets are Interoperability and Clinical Workflow & Data Management.

• Read the explanation for every question you miss, and write down the rule behind it in your own words.
• Redo missed questions after a break instead of rereading the answer.
• Practise with a timer set to 125 minutes so the pace feels familiar.
• Check your training materials for any topic you keep missing.

These questions are written by us and are not real exam questions, so use them to build understanding, not to predict what will appear.

Sources & last verified

1. National Healthcareer Association — number of questions, time limit (official source). “100 Scored Items/25 Pretest Items” Verified Oct 25, 2026.
2. National Healthcareer Association — passing score, retake fee, retake policy (official source). “Scaled scores range from 200 to 500 and require that you meet a scaled passing score of 390 or higher to pass any examination covered…” Verified Oct 25, 2026 · source checked Oct 19, 2026.
3. National Healthcareer Association — validity, renewal, delivery, eligibility (official source). “Certifications must be renewed every two years” Verified Oct 25, 2026 · source checked Oct 25, 2026.
4. National Healthcareer Association — other (official source). “clinical operations” Verified Oct 25, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.