Top 5 Healthcare IT Certifications in 2019

Nowadays, health IT industries are increasing rapidly and thus given rise to competition in this field. Though it is easy to break a career in health, experts will continuously require expanding their importance by acquiring the required knowledge to familiarize to the growing technology in the industry. Luckily, enhancing your identifications and experience in health IT has been streamlined by many certifications. Presently, several certifications, form by a combination of IT industry vendors and healthcare-focused organizations, precisely target IT professionals who work in this quickly enhancing field. A recent survey found that professionals with certifications usually make $10,000 or more. A candidate who wishes to develop a career in healthcare information technology or already has a well-established career must have healthcare IT certifications.

The amount that is spent on healthcare in the United States shows around 18% of the economy. It is anticipated that healthcare spending will grow at a rate of 5.6% annually per capita. Therefore, there will always be adequate job opportunities in healthcare IT. The scope and development of the certification market also clarify about the certifying organizations which cover IT. There is a combination of industry organizations, such as (ISC) that follow economic and occupation trends wisely. A bunch of other IT associations, with IT experts in charge, also focused on healthcare.

Interested in Free Live Webinar for BA with Healthcare

The below table represents a simple job search which provides you an idea of the comparative frequency by which the top 5 certifications appear in actual job placements.

The Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) and Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) certifications are the most necessary certifications, as shown by their high numbers in contrast to other certainties. RHIA results involve several employers recruiting for coding positions that show the RHIA as a preferred certification. The desire for salary inside IT healthcare fluctuates by job role. Let’s take an example, SimplyHired reports that the average pay scale for IT experts working as a healthcare technician, healthcare helpdesk specialists or helpdesk technicians as being in the mid-30s with highs in the upper 50s and low 60s. For instance, those occupied with desktop support jobs can hope to gain somewhere in the range of $35,879 and $59,711. Healthcare IT experts occupied with the board, jobs command the highest compensations, with announced an ordinary profit in the mid-70s and highs in the low 120s. Let’s take a look at various certifications:

1. CAHIMS and CPHIMS:

HIMSS, or the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, is a nonprofit association with an aim to increase the quality and cost-effectiveness of healthcare through IT systems. The organization provides two certifications in Healthcare Information and Management Systems. One is the Certified Associate level (CAHIMS), and the other one is Certified Professional level (CPHIMS).

The CAHIMS is designed for midlevel healthcare IT experts with under five years of experience, working as system analysts, IT/IS supervisors, and IT/IS specialists, just as attendants and ranking staff. Applicants ought to have the essential learning of authoritative and specialized conditions. They should have the capacity to analyze, design, select, execute, bolster, maintain and test healthcare information frameworks. They should also realize how to ensure protection and oversee security, manage seller connections, and support the management and groups. The subsequent stage in the career pathway is the CPHIMS, which perceives prepared Healthcare IT experts. This accreditation covers a large number of similar topics from the CAHIMS, however, underscores investigation, management, and authority abilities. CPHIMS candidates must satisfy the educational and work experience requirements; they have to submit an application which is reviewed to confirm the qualification. Both the certification requires a candidate to pass a single exam regulated at Prometric or certain HIMSS gatherings and occasions. Both the certification must be renewed every three years. Both these certifications are comparatively new and thus have a low number of certified candidates.

Certification Details:

Certification Name: Certified Associate in Healthcare Information and Management Systems (CAHIMS) & Certified Professional in Healthcare Information and Management Systems (CPHIMS)

Prerequisite: 

CAHIMS: High school diploma or equivalent
CPHIMS: Bachelor’s degree or global equivalent, plus five years of IS management experience (three years in healthcare), or graduate degree or equivalent plus three years of IS management experience (two years in healthcare)

Number of Certification: One per certification

Cost per Exam: CAHIMS Exam: $150 for organizational affiliate member, $190 HIMSS for national member, $245 nonmember (115 questions, two hours)
CPHIMS Exam: $295 organizational affiliate member; $325 HIMSS national members; $410 nonmember (115 questions, two hours)
HIMSS membership: $199 (individuals)

2. CHTS, i.e. Certified Healthcare Technology Specialist: AHIMA, the American Health Information Management Association, has more than 103,000 members and offers a reasonably comprehensive, multitier healthcare IT certification program. Three AHIMA certifications are – the Certified Healthcare Technology Specialist (CHTS), the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) and the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT). There is CHTC credential is available in six solution tracks, each absorbed on various job roles in the following competency area:

• Clinician/Practitioner Consultant (CHTS-CP)
• Implementation Manager (CHTS-IM)
• Implementation Support Specialist (CHTS-IS)
• Practice Workflow & Information Management Redesign Specialist (CHTS-PW)
• Technical/Software Support Staff (CHTS-TS)
• Trainer (CHTS-TR)

In order to earn a CHTS credential, the candidate needs to clear a single exam.

Certification Details:

Certification name: Certified Healthcare Technology Specialist (CHTS)

Prerequisite: No prerequisite is there for this certification, but it is recommended to go for six months training or have current relevant experience.

Number of exams: One per competency area (125 questions, duration is three hours)

Cost per exams: $299 for initial CHTS exam; retakes and additional CHTS competency exams for $199 each and administered by Pearson VUE.

3. HCISPP, i.e. HealthCare Information Security and Privacy Practitioner:  The (ISC)² HCISPP is intended for medical records supervisors, consistence officers, IT and security managers, risk analysts, and other people who work in doctor’s facilities, health center, counseling firms, and even administrative offices. An HCISPP has essential learning and involvement in security and security controls that ensure individual health information. Candidates should have a minimum of two years of experience in at least one of the six HCISPP Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) domains and should clear one exam. The current HCISPP CBK domains are:

• Healthcare Industry
• Regulatory Environment
• Privacy and Security in Healthcare
• Information Governance and Risk Management
• Information Risk Assessment
• Third-Party Risk Management

Certification Details: 

Certification Name: HealthCare Information Security and Privacy Practitioner (HCISPP)

Prerequisites and required courses: Candidates must complete an authorization process and agree to abide by the (ISC) ² Code of Ethics. It is recommended to have formal training.

Number of Exams: One exam (duration of three hours, includes  125 multiple-choice questions, and require 700 out of 1,000 points to pass)

Cost per exam is $599 w administered by Pearson VUE.

4. RHIA, i.e. Registered Health Information Administrator: This is one more certification from AHIMA, the RHIA offers the knowledge and services that associate care providers, patients, and payers together in the medical system. RHIAs are specialists in managing patient health information and related records, administering health information systems, collecting and analyzing patient data, and using classification systems and medical terminology. The RHIA candidates should prove mastery across five domain knowledge areas:

1. Data Content, Structure & Standards (Information Governance)

2. Information Protection: Access, Disclosure, Archival, Privacy, and Security

3. Informatics, Analytics, and Data Use

4. Revenue Management

5. Leadership

Certification Details:

Certification Name:  Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA)

Prerequisite: A candidate must have a

• Bachelor’s degree (or higher) from a Health Information Management (HIM) program accredited by CAHIIM
• Masters level degree from a HIM program accredited by CAHIM
• Completion of a HIM Certificate of the Degree post-baccalaureate program approved by CAHIM
• Graduation from a HIM program approved by a foreign association with which AHIMA has a reciprocity agreement (primarily Canada and the EU at present)
• Be an RHIT and meet the HIMR Proviso conditions approved by CCHIIM

Number of Exams: One exam includes 180 questions and duration of the exam is four hours.

The Cost of the exam is $299 which is administered by Pearson VUE and requires AHIMA approval to register.

5. RHIT, i.e. Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT): Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) is another common certification from AHIMA. RHIT holders are found in many businesses related to healthcare, including hospitals, nursing homes, private care, and home healthcare. The credential holders are specialists in healthcare record management, as well as making recommendations to control costs. Many RHITs specialize in coding or data compilation for specific illnesses, like cancer.

RHIT candidates prove mastery in the following six domain knowledge areas:

 1. Data Content, Structure and Information Governance

 2. Access, Disclosure, Privacy, and Security

 3. Data Analytics and Use

 4. Revenue Cycle Management

5. Compliance

6. Leadership

This certification should renew in every three years.

Certification Details:

Certification Name: Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT)

Prerequisite: Associate’s degree from a HIM program accredited by CAHIIM, or graduate from a HIM program approved by a foreign association with which AHIMA has a reciprocity agreement

Number of Exams: One exam, which includes 150 multiple-choice questions and duration of the exam is 3.5 hours.

Cost per exam is $299 administered by Pearson VUE and requires AHIMA approval to register.

Know more about BA with Healthcare Domain Course 

Conclusion: AHIMA provides numerous certifications apart for the above certifications. These certifications involve Certified Health Data Analyst, i.e. CHDA, the Certified Professional in Health Informatics, i.e. CPHI, and various coding and specialty identifications. Also, there are multiple universities with medical schools which provide healthcare IT certification program, including the University of Connecticut, Drexel University, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Texas. Well, it is worth to invest in these types of programs as it helps in getting the right job.