Health Information Specialist Licensing and Certification
Become a Health Information Specialist
- Career Plan: How to Become a Health Information Specialist
- Explore: Health Informatics Programs
- CAHIIM Accredited Online Programs
Health Information Specialist Resources…
Health information specialists are not required to be licensed. Certification, though, can be important for getting a job. A professional should be aware that there is a big difference between a certificate, which any school can issue even after a short course of study, and a certification that is nationally respected. One of the biggest names in health information credentialing is AHIMA. AHIMA credentials health information specialists in both generalist and specialist roles. Health information professionals who have graduated from a CAHIIM-accredited health information management program at the associate’s level are eligible to sit for the RHIT exam. Those with degrees at the baccalaureate level or higher can sit for exams for the more prestigious RHIA credential.
If you have an RHIA, you are potentially on a fast track to obtain advanced credentials in a specialty area. With an RHIA and one year of healthcare experience, you can take the CHDA (Certified Health Data Analysist) exam. With either an RHIT or an RHIA and two years of healthcare experience, you are eligible to take the CHPS exam, which focuses on healthcare privacy and security.
Coding specialists are eligible for specialized certifications as well. Both AHIMA and the AACP offer coding credentials. The AACP offers coding credentials in various medical specialties.
A course of study in health informatics, or combined information/ informatics, may qualify you for computer certifications that are applicable both inside and outside the health professions. One is Comp TIA (which is intended for those who maintain and troubleshoot computer issues).
