I’ve recently discovered a new organization that I believe will become a integral resource for professionals who are working to bridge the gap in their experience between Healthcare and IT. The American Society of Health Informatics Managers™, Inc. (ASHIM) is a professional member association for IT professionals who specialize (or plan to) in Healthcare IT. ASHIM™ is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that conducts a nationally recognized credentialing exam to certify the healthcare industry knowledge of working level IT professionals, known as the Certified Health Informatics Systems Professional (CHISP™).
The CHISP™ core competency outline, developed by ASHIM, defines a set of skills-based competencies needed by IT professionals in the Healthcare IT profession, regardless of the career path they choose. It is rooted in seven core competencies to reflect the nature of the field and the way one area of knowledge blends into another.
The CHISP™ credential indicates that an IT professional is able to support physician adoption of Healthcare IT. Areas of testing include the healthcare environment, Healthcare IT, IT, and soft skills including communication skills.
A CHISP™ certified IT Professional has successfully demonstrated knowledge and skill in the following:
CLINICAL
Basic anatomy and common disease processes
Operational structuring of healthcare services and providers
Conversational medical terminology
General principals of medical research
COMMUNICATIONS
Strong written, verbal, face to face, and presentation skills
COMPLIANCE/LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS
Industry accreditation requirements and regulatory compliance
Medical legal considerations including ARRA, HIPAA, STARK, etc
Payment compliance including SSA, OIG Compliance for Group Practice, prompt payment laws, etc
HEALTHCARE IT
Clinical data repositories
Clinical healthcare applications
Computerized decision support systems
CPOE
Digital imaging systems
Documentation management tools
Electronic health records products/services
Enterprise master patient indices
HIE and RHIO
Patient portals
Personal health records products/services
Principals of clinical remote monitoring
Principals of telehealth
INFORMATION ANALYSIS
Principals related to of Costs of Care
Accepted standards in clinical terms and coding
Statistical concepts used in research
MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS
The patient-care flow process
Basic physician billing principals: ICD-9 and ICD-10 coding
Basic physician billing principals: CPT Coding
Knowledge of contract and billing operations related to 3rd party payment (commercial and government)
TECHNOLOGY
Principals of RFID, wireless, mobile platforms
New/emerging technologies
Operating Systems
Principals of Linux and Unix
As the word continues to spread that Healthcare IT is the place to be, it’s going to become even more critical for Healthcare IT job seekers to find ways to distinguish themselves from their competition. In my opinion, attaining the CHISP™ certification is a very wise investment, because it demonstrates a broad knowledge base that recruiters and hiring managers are desperately searching for. And speaking of investment, ASHIM is offering this certification for about what my Starbucks bill would be if I limited myself to one Grande Non-Fat No-Whip Mocha a week for a year (if only) ~ $260, which also includes your membership dues for an entire year, so this is truly an exceptional opportunity.
And if you’re not ready for/in need of the CHISP™ certification? Consider joining ASHIM anyway, as I did, to support their efforts and have access to their growing resources.
Interested in learning more about ASHIM? Here’s a link to their online brochure , or feel free to contact Dallin Hawkins at ASHIM for additional information.
Great information! I’ve been looking for something like this for a while now. Thanks!
great post as usual!