How to Become a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA)
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In today’s information age, more patients ask, “How are my electronic health records being used?” At the turn of the 21st century, substantive changes in healthcare policies were ushered in with the implementation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the industry-wide transition from paper-based records to electronic health records (EHRs).
In addition to being stored for patient and provider reference, electronic health data plays a major role in providing cost-effective and data-driven patient care. Respecting the boundaries of the patient-provider relationship, registered health information administrators (RHIAs) use EHRs to make organizational decisions on behalf of healthcare institutions. RHIAs are valuable to healthcare organizations for their skills in interpreting coded healthcare data to improve institutional efficiency and provide quality medical care.
Described by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) as being critical links between patients, providers, and payers, RHIAs are experts at collecting and analyzing health data to make administrative decisions. They are expected to have a wide range of multifaceted knowledge about medical, administrative, ethical, and legal requirements to effectively manage the operational logistics of healthcare facilities. Becoming an RHIA may be an ideal career for individuals who thrive on balancing several projects at once and making complex decisions that affect multiple stakeholders within an organization.
Successful RHIAs must have comprehensive knowledge of medical, administrative, ethical, and legal standards. In addition to managing teams of people and entire operational units, RHIAs prepare budgets and manage interactions between all levels of healthcare organizations, including clinical, financial, and health information systems.
Professional opportunities for RHIAs run the gamut of healthcare delivery organizations. Positions are available in settings such as hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities, as well as non-patient care settings such as insurance companies, software vendors, government services, and pharmaceutical companies.
Prospective RHIAs can rest assured knowing that the profession is projected to grow substantially in the coming decade. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS May 2022), openings for medical and health services managers (including RHIAs) are predicted to increase 28 percent nationally between 2021 and 2031, which is much faster than the national average rate of job growth (3 percent). This means an estimated 136,200 new positions will become available to individuals with the educational qualifications and certifications required for these multifaceted RHIA management opportunities.
Becoming a registered health information administrator is more than just a job title; RHIA is an official title that can be earned by completing an approved academic program and earning a passing score on an exam given by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), the predominant national certification organization for health management careers.
Read on to learn more about becoming an RHIA and helpful resources for those interested in pursuing an RHIA career.
Step-by-step Guide to Becoming An RHIA
While there are a variety of professional avenues to becoming an RHIA, here’s one possible pathway way to pursue the education and experience needed to work in this thriving profession:
Step 1: Graduate from high school or earn a GED (four years).
Those aspiring to become RHIAs are strongly encouraged to pursue coursework in civics, science, English, and communication, as they will be the most applicable to their future occupation. Internship or volunteer opportunities at healthcare facilities or non-patient medical facilities are advisable to gain inside perspective and professional exposure to this work environment.
Step 2: Earn a CAHIIM-accredited associate or bachelor’s degree in health information management or related discipline (two to four years).
To qualify for professional RHIA credentialing, aspiring RHIAs must graduate from an associate or bachelor’s degree program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM). Admissions requirements for bachelor’s degree programs typically include:
- Application and fee
- Official high school transcripts or proof of GED
- Personal statement
- Resume
- TOEFL or IELTS scores (for applicants whose first language is not English)
Curricula in these programs typically include coursework in the following:
- Anatomy and physiology
- Computer information systems
- Concepts and principles of health information management
- Technologies in practice
- Medical language
- Project management
- Medicolegal issues
- Health data analytics
- U.S. healthcare system
- Professional practice experience
- Management tools and strategies
- RHIA exam preparation
All current CAHIIM-accredited programs can be found in the program directory on CAHIIM’s website. To learn more about what to expect from an associate’s or bachelor’s degree program in health information management, check out this guide to accredited online HIM degree programs.
Step 3: Get certified as a Registered Health Information Administrator through the American Health Information Management Association (less than one year).
Students currently enrolled in CAHIIM-accredited RHIA programs are eligible to apply for and take the certification exam. Early application is available on the AHIMA website, and students must submit a completed application for early testing. The exam registration fee is $299 for non-members and $229 for members. The exam contains 170 to 200 questions which must be completed in four hours. A one-time use non-refundable practice test is also offered through AHIMA to prepare for the real exam.
The exam comprises five domains:
- Domain 1: Information Governance
- Domain 2: Compliance with Uses and Disclosures of PHI
- Domain 3: Data Analytics and Informatics
- Domain 4: Revenue Management
- Domain 5: Management and Leadership
For more information about the RHIA exam, check out the AHIMA website.
Step 4: Earn a CAHIIM-accredited master’s degree in health information management or related discipline (two to three years, optional).
Those wanting to gain a competitive edge in management positions can choose to pursue master’s degree programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM) or related disciplines. Admissions requirements for master’s degree programs in health informatics management typically include:
- Official bachelor’s degree transcripts from a regionally-accredited institution
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores
- Application and fee
- Personal essay
- Prerequisite courses in anatomy and physiology
- Resume
- TOEFL or IELTS scores (for applicants whose first language is not English)
Curricula in these programs typically include coursework in:
- Management of health information services and systems
- Development of electronic health information systems
- Epidemiology and public health informatics
- Research and design statistics in health informatics
- Databases and knowledge management
- Privacy and security for health informatics
- Clinical vocabularies and classification systems
- Capstone in health informatics
- Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA) exam preparation
All current CAHIIM-accredited graduate-level programs can be found in the program directory on CAHIIM’s website.
Step 5: Maintain RHIA or CHDA credential (every two years).
All certified RHIA and CHDA credential holders must maintain their AHIMA certifications by completing 30 hours of qualifying continuing education units (CEUs) every two years. Recertification of RHIA and CHDA is required to ensure professional relevancy in the dynamic and ever-changing field of health information management. The recertification fee for candidates who hold one credential is $218, while for those who hold more than one credential, the first recertification fee is $218, and each additional certification is $50.
Helpful Resources For RHIAs
Here is a list of resources for those wanting to pursue a career as a registered health information administrator (RHIA):
- American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) – The premier association for health information management (HIM) professionals and certification exams
- Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM) – An independent accrediting organization for health information management educational programs
- Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) exam – Information about how to qualify and register for this professional certification exam
- Why Get Certified? – The importance of AHIMA professional certification
- Guide to CAHIIM-accredited educational programs – An up-to-date program directory of current CAHIIM-approved degree programs
