AHIMA will introduce a new credential in early 2017 for eligible professionals in the field of health informatics. A beta test of the certification exam will launch in December. Details about the credential were released Monday at the American Health Information Management Association’s (AHIMA) 88th Annual Convention and Exhibit.
“AHIMA’s certification is the culmination of a long-term initiative to research and develop a credential that measures competency and expertise across the broad range of content domains required to apply health informatics in diverse settings,” said AHIMA CEO Lynne Thomas Gordon, MBA, RHIA, CAE, FACHE, FAHIMA. “With the demand for health informatics professionals growing, this credential is a valuable designation for identifying individuals who have demonstrated competency in the field and sets a standard for the health informatics profession.”
Informatics is an interdisciplinary field that involves the application of data science, information technologies, and human-technology interactions to health-related practice. By using informatics techniques, analytics, and technology, health informaticians create a viable interface between the data systems and the end user resulting in better business decisions and patient outcomes.
Applicants for the AHIMA certification must meet one of the following eligibility requirements to sit for the exam:
- A baccalaureate degree and two (2) years of health informatics experience
- A master’s degree or higher and one (1) year of health informatics experience
- A master’s degree in health informatics from an accredited health informatics program
The certification exam was developed and validated by a panel of experts from across the nation who were chosen to represent the diversity of the health informatics field, including practitioners, employers and academics. The process and the resulting exam were overseen by The Commission on Certification for Health Informatics and Information Management (CCHIIM).
The panel’s work included identifying key content domains for the field of health informatics, and the competencies, skills and knowledge required for each domain. The content domains include:
- Data Analysis and Utilization
- Data Reporting
- Data Management, Privacy, and Security
- Management of Health Information Systems and Processes
- Database Management
- Health Informatics Training
- Project Management
The AHIMA health informatics credential is appropriate for a wide range of professionals in the field, such as informaticians; data scientists; health informatics directors, managers and specialists; application analysts; clinical informatics specialists; clinical systems analysts; HIM systems analysts or those individuals who meet the eligibility requirements and have competencies in the stated domains.
“AHIMA’s continuing commitment to informatics is demonstrated by this health informatics credential as well as our leading role facilitating the development of health informatics curricula at the graduate level.” Thomas Gordon said. “AHIMA draws from its many years of academic curricula development and leadership in informatics domains of practice such as standards for data content, information exchange and interoperability, data management, health information technology and others. AHIMA is leveraging its emerging leadership in data analytics as a foundation to support health informatics educators, students and practitioners.”
Individuals who meet the testing criteria may apply to take the certification exam for a reduced cost of $119 during the beta testing phase beginning in December. To sign up for the beta exam, visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LKBG8XM and for more information on the informatics credential, visit http://www.ahima.org/certification/informatics-credential.
