How are the CPHIT, CPEHR, and CPHIE professional certifications applicable to an individual going through a workforce development program?
The professional certification credentials of CPHIT, CPEHR, and CPHIE provide a visible means to recognize mastery of a common body of knowledge which potential employers are already familiar. The Health IT Certification program enables workforce trainees to round out their focused training with additional courses from a full range of topics in the Health IT Certification Common Body of Knowledge.
Students enrolled in the six-month ONC-sponsored community college workforce development programs view the CPHIT, CPEHR, CPHIE training and professional certifications as value-added credential to potential employers. Each credential has additional value for two reasons. First, it is well established in the healthcare industry as a valid credential held by those that have demonstrated sufficient knowledge in HIT, EHR, and/or HIE to be an effective member of the leadership team within a hospital or other provider organization. For example, CPHIT certified individuals are listed on Health IT Certification's website with their credential for employers to verify. An employer could verify Susan Jones, CPHIT, as having mastered the foundational knowledge of health information technology, including regulatory aspects, principles of project management, and system selection and implementation. The seal for CPHIT can be used on business cards and websites as well.
Second, students who have been through any school-based academic program that covers some of the course material offered by Health IT Certification can briefly review material they have already learned for pragmatic solutions and approaches to handling complex situations, or focus their training on areas that were not covered in their academic program. For those students who have no healthcare work experience or exposure other than the six-month ONC sponsored program, we suggest starting with the CPHIT training track and credential that affords a broadest orientation to the healthcare field. They may also want to discuss with their academic advisor whether or not additional training or experience should be undertaken prior to sitting the certification examination. The common body of knowledge for each of the CPHIT, CPEHR, and CPHIE tracks can be found at www.healthitcertification.com/bok.html.
What is the difference between the HIT PRO™ exams and Health IT Certification exams?
There are six separate HIT PRO™ exams to assess the basic competency of individuals who are seeking to demonstrate their proficiency in certain HIT workforce roles. These exams are much like a standardized "final exam." Each exam covers one of the following topics:
- Clinician practitioner roles
- Implementation management
- Implementation support
- Practice workflows and information management
- Technical software support
- Trainer roles
Employers have noted they want well-rounded individuals to be able to move among the various aspects of health IT support as their organization needs support in various aspects of health IT acquisition, implementation, workflow and process redesign, and optimization. Health IT Certification provides three bodies of knowledge that can take an individual through the continuum needed in the industry. That is, the Common Bodies of Knowledge are broader in scope than any one of the focused areas covered by a HITPRO™ competency exam. The CPHIT track covers the foundation for health IT, including fundamentals of change management, technology, privacy and security, selection and implementation, EHR concepts, and HIE principles. The CPEHR track provides advanced concepts of data management, patient safety, care coordination and quality improvement, interoperability, and clinical decision support for optimizing use of existing electronic health records. The CPHIE track supplies critical information on governance, architecture, data stewardship, personal health records, telehealth, and the nationwide health information network for those who plan to support health information exchange either from a provider or payer perspective, or a health information exchange organization itself.
Some students will find it appropriate to complete both complete both the HIT PRO™ and Health IT Certification training and exams. For those who have not taken advantage of the six-month ONC-sponsored training in one of the six HIT PRO™ areas, the CPHIT, CPEHR, and CPHIE training and professional designations are an attractive option. It is usually easier to take an online training program based on the student's schedule, rather than participate in a six month academic program. For those who need the training and knowledge now, the CPHIT, CPEHR and CPHIE programs provide the opportunity to complete training within a short period of time.
As a student who has completed an academic program, how is the training and professional certification examination from Health IT Certification different from the education and exams that I receive from the college or university?
Many students completing degree programs in universities and colleges have taken one or more of the professional certification programs from Health IT Certification as a way of demonstrating to potential employers that they have the knowledge and qualifications to enter the workforce with pragmatic information that complements their academic preparation. In addition, some college and university programs, such as Roberts Wesleyan College (RWC) in Rochester, New York, use the Health IT Certification training and certification for their students to meet prerequisites for their degree programs.
What is the pass rate for these exams and what happens if the student fails the exam?
The pass rate for the three certification examinations ranges from 70% to 75%, depending on the certification exam taken and the experience of the students taking the examinations. Physicians tend to have a higher pass rate than other groups, ranging between 75% and 80%. In some cases, lower rates have been experienced by those who do not have formal work experience in healthcare, although some without health care work experience, particularly those with significant IT experience, have done just as well as others. This pass rate is consistent or better than pass rates for other similar types of training and certification programs, signifying that the program is neither a "slam-dunk" which would be meaningless in the industry nor "exclusive" to a few who have extensive experience.
The passing score is 70%. For those who fail the exam, there is a reduced retake examination fee. Examinations can be taken again as soon as the student is ready.
What is the nature of the examination online?
Students can take the online examination anytime, anywhere as individuals. If a group of students from the same school are taking the examination at the same time, Health IT Certification requires that the school provide a proctor for the examination. The examinations are closed book. There is a two hour timeframe to complete the exam. This timeframe has not posed a burden on the students taking the examination, yet would not be sufficient time to attempt to locate answers in reference materials. The exam is comprised of 100 multiple choice questions with four choices for each question. There is no penalty for wrong answers, so students are advised to answer every question.
Will I have access to the online program content after I sit the exam and pass, or fail the exam and decide not to retake it?
No. After either of those two conditions, access to the online content is not permitted. However, for those students who want to either study from or have a more permanent reference source, a hard copy binder of the course content can be purchased for each of the three certifications. It also includes a glossary. These binders are only available to those who have registered for the online certification training and examination in the same CPHIT, CPEHR, and CPHIE track.
How many schools are recommending CPHIT, CPEHR and/or CPHIE training and professional certification examination?
Several schools are referencing our program to their students. A formal agreement is in place with Roberts Wesleyan College (www.roberts.edu) in Rochester, New York which offers Bachelor and Masters Degree level academic programs. New England Institute of Technology (www.neit.edu), a post-secondary school education workforce development program in Rhode Island, is offering in-person CPEHR training to those who qualify for their Level 3 training program. Several community colleges, including some in the ONC-sponsored network, have been suggesting to their students that they take a look at the Health IT Certification's offerings as a way of complementing what they are learning in school and to provide an additional, credible certification recognized by employers. There have been a number of student and staff referrals from community colleges that are not in the ONC program that identify CPEHR, CPHIT, and CPHIE as potential training and certification programs for their students.
Who recognizes the Health IT Certification credentials?
Much like other technical certifications offered by companies such as EHR vendors or software developers, Health IT Certification credentials are recognized in the industry. There are a number of organizations that require or prefer hiring individuals who hold the credential. For example, one EHR vendor requires all of its employees who provide implementation support to hold either CPHIT or CPEHR. A hospital IT Director requires that all IT application support staff hold the CPHIT credential. Several of the quality improvement organizations that provide health IT services have trained staff through Health IT Certification. Both providers and payers have trained cohorts of staff through Health IT Certification so that all working in a certain department or division would have a common body of knowledge. A number of employers have also used the certification as a means to promote individuals to become EHR project managers.
