Salt Lake City, Utah (PRWEB) November 10, 2009 -- A new association has formed to bridge a gap in Healthcare Information Technology (HIT) by providing a nationally recognized credential that certifies the healthcare industry knowledge of working-level IT professionals. The American Society of Health Informatics Managers (ASHIM, www.ashim.org) comes at a time when HIT is more important than ever, with billions in stimulus funding allotted for the HITECH Act and healthcare organizations putting increased emphasis on EHRs. ASHIM's industry advisory board is comprised of leaders and influential individuals from all sectors of HIT.
ASHIM's brand new certification, the Certified Health Informatics Systems Professional (CHISPTM) credential, was developed in response to a national need for a capable Health IT workforce able to support the adoption of various Health IT tools and resources. The CHISPTM credential provides the hiring public with a means to differentiate the skills of IT professionals by validating their current healthcare industry knowledge. The credential also provides a means for job applicants to inform prospective employers of their qualifications with respect to the healthcare industry. It serves to validate the superior knowledge and skill of IT professionals already serving the healthcare community.
"We are thrilled about the launch of ASHIM-ASHIM provides our healthcare community with the means to ensure a skilled Health IT workforce," said ASHIM Senior Vice President Stephanie L. Jones. "We believe that IT professionals who are knowledgeable in healthcare are what make it easier for physicians to use HIT in a manner that improves patient outcomes and overall efficiencies. It is this enhanced ability to communicate that makes a CHISPTM-certified IT professional the best supporter of HIT."
The certification exam, which begins beta testing in December, gives examinees the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of healthcare as a business and an industry, as well as their ability to interact on a clinical level with physicians and other healthcare professionals. The CHISPTM exam does not require a test taker to go to a testing facility; instead it is delivered using online secured testing technologies that allow for a "green" exam, which is both fully proctored and high-stakes secured. The CHISPTM certification indicates that an individual of high professional integrity has achieved a measurable level of knowledge and expertise in the healthcare industry.
More information about ASHIM, the CHISPTM certification and membership is available on the organization's Web site, www.ashim.org.
About the American Society of Health Informatics Managers (ASHIM, www.ashim.org)
The American Society of Health Informatics Managers, Inc. (ASHIM) is a professional member association for IT professionals who specialize in Health IT (HIT). ASHIM is a nonprofit, 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 (CHISPTM). The CHISPTM credential certifies the healthcare industry knowledge of individuals who have working experience that is hardware related, software related, data related, or clinical IT training related.
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