Isn’t it Time You Earned Your AHIMA Certification?

The US Department of Labor predicts that in the next few years, jobs for health information specialists will increase by more than 50,000 new positions!

The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) has been providing certification in the health information management field (HIM) for over 80 years. With all of the changes happening in HIM, this is an excellent time to invest in certification and advance to the next step in your career—but only if you have the right training and technical skill.

AHIMA offers eight different certifications to meet your professional development needs:
• Certified Coding Associate (CCA)
• Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)
• Certified Coding Specialist – Physician Based Practice (CCS-P)
• Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA)
• Certified in Healthcare Privacy and Security (CHPS)
• Certified Document Improvement Practitioner (CDIP)
• Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA)
• Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT)

Not sure which direction to take? Try out the interactive Health Information Careers Pathfinder at http://hicareers.com/pathfinder.swf

EXCITING NEWS!—revised eligibility criteria for CHDA and CHPS! Beginning January 1, 2012, more people will be able to meet the requirements based upon their years of job experience. View the updated eligibility requirements by clicking on the eligibility tab at www.ahima.org/certification/chda.aspx (for CHDA) and www.ahima.org/certification/chps.aspx (for CHPS).

Employers Value Credentials in Healthcare

Did you know certification can give you a competitive edge in the eyes of employers?
• Employers think favorably overall of industry credentials.
• Employers feel that credentials are most important for medical coding professionals and other HIM professionals, followed by IT professionals and privacy and security professionals.
• Employers think credentials employees require less training, produce more accurate work, improve the quality of healthcare delivery, improve reimbursement and billing, and help reduce exposure to fraud and abuse charges.
• 68% of employers report choosing a credentialed candidate over one who is not.
• Credentialed employees are rewarded financially—67% earn more than non-credentialed employees.

Isn’t it time you Earned your Certification?

To review AHIMA’s certification qualifications and additional information, you may download AHIMA’s Candidate Guide at http://www.ahima.org/downloads/pdfs/certification/Candidate_Guide.pdf, or contact an AHIMA representative at (800) 335-5535.

AHIMA certification distinguishes an individual as competent, knowledgeable, and committed to AHIMA’s mission of quality healthcare through quality information.