Certified EHR Optimization Pharmacist (CEOP)

CEOP (EOP-001) Exam Objectives

This exam certifies that the candidate has the advanced analytical and technical skills to optimize EHR medication-use systems to improve clinician efficiency and enhance patient safety.

Domain 1: Workflow Analysis and System Optimization (35%)

• Workflow Analysis: Apply workflow analysis methodologies (e.g., process mapping) to identify inefficiencies in medication ordering, verification, and administration processes within the EHR.
• Order Set Optimization: Redesign complex order sets to improve usability, reduce clicks, and better guide evidence-based practice.
• System Performance: Identify system configuration opportunities to improve the speed and efficiency of the user experience.

Domain 2: Advanced Clinical Decision Support (CDS) Management (30%)

• Alert Optimization: Analyze CDS alert data (firing rates, override rates, user feedback) to identify sources of alert fatigue and implement strategies to improve the signal-to-noise ratio.
• Advanced CDS Design: Design and build more sophisticated, context-aware CDS, such as tiered alerts or rules that incorporate multiple data points (e.g., labs, vitals).
• CDS Governance: Manage the lifecycle of CDS rules, including requests, review by clinical committees, and ongoing maintenance.

Domain 3: Data Analytics for System Improvement (20%)

• Data Extraction: Extract medication-use and user-behavior data from the EHR for analysis.
• Performance Measurement: Develop and monitor dashboards and reports to track the impact of optimization efforts on key metrics (e.g., order set usage, alert overrides, turnaround times).
• Identifying Opportunities: Use data to proactively identify areas of the EHR medication process that are causing errors or inefficiencies.

Domain 4: Governance and User Support (15%)

• Change Management: Apply change management principles to ensure user adoption of system optimizations.
• User Feedback and Training: Develop systems for gathering user feedback and provide advanced training to support optimization projects.
• EHR Governance: Participate in the governance process for reviewing and approving system changes.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to sit for a CPS certification exam, candidates must meet the criteria outlined in one of the two pathways below.

Pathway 1: For U.S. Licensed Pharmacists

This pathway is for pharmacists licensed to practice within the United States, regardless of country of graduation.

• Hold an active and unrestricted pharmacist license in any state or territory of the United States.
• Meet educational requirements by being a graduate of an ACPE-accredited school of pharmacy or holding a Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee® (FPGEC) Certificate.
• Fulfill the specialty experience requirement as outlined below.

Pathway 2: For International Pharmacists (Non-U.S. Licensed)

This pathway is for pharmacists who practice outside of the United States.

• Hold an active and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in their country of practice. A certified English translation of the license must be provided if the original is not in English.
• Hold a professional degree in pharmacy equivalent to a U.S. pharmacy degree, such as a Bachelor’s degree (BPharm), Master’s degree in Pharmacy Practice (MPharm), or Doctor of Pharmacy degree (PharmD).
• Fulfill the specialty experience requirement as outlined below.

Specialty Experience Requirement (for all pathways)

To ensure candidates have foundational knowledge in the specialty, one of the following criteria must be met:

• Standard Pathway:
  Completion of at least one year of professional experience in a practice setting directly related to the certification area.
• Certificate Pathway:
  The one-year specialty experience requirement is waived for candidates who hold an active certificate of completion from a nationally recognized provider in a related subject matter. This includes, but is not limited to, the completion of a relevant PGY residency, fellowship, certificate/training program, or a relevant graduate degree (e.g., a Master's degree in the specialty field). Recognized providers of certificate programs include, but are not limited to:
  • American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)
  • American Pharmacists Association (APhA)
  • American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP)
  • American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP)

Career Path for CEOP Professionals

The CEOP is an advanced certification for informatics professionals seeking to move into more strategic roles. This credential signifies the ability to not just maintain systems, but to actively improve them through data-driven analysis and design.

Target Candidates

• Experienced clinical informatics pharmacists.
• Pharmacists with specific roles in clinical decision support or order set management.
• Pharmacy informatics analysts with a strong clinical background.
• Leaders in pharmacy informatics seeking to validate advanced skills.

Primary Job Roles:

• Senior Clinical Informatics Pharmacist
• EHR Optimization Specialist
• Clinical Decision Support (CDS) Architect
• Medication Management Informaticist
• Pharmacy Informatics Team Lead or Manager

Career Advancement:

A CEOP is positioned for senior leadership in clinical informatics. They can advance to become a Director of Clinical Informatics, a Chief Pharmacy Informatics Officer, or a consultant specializing in EHR optimization and medication safety for large health systems.

Study Resources

Prepare for your CEOP exam with resources focused on the advanced analysis and design of EHR medication systems.