RHIA - AHIMA Practice Exam
Registered Health Information Administrators (RHIAs) play a crucial role as intermediaries among care providers, payers, and patients. They possess extensive expertise in medical, administrative, ethical, and legal regulations and standards pertinent to healthcare delivery and the confidentiality of protected patient data.
RHIAs are employed across various healthcare settings, including hospitals, multispecialty clinics, physician practices, long-term care facilities, mental health institutions, and other ambulatory care setups. Moreover, they can utilize their skills in non-patient care environments such as managed care and insurance firms, software vendors, consulting services, government agencies, educational institutions, and pharmaceutical companies.
Role:
RHIAs:
- Manage personnel and operational divisions, engage in administrative committees, and develop budgets.
- Collaborate with various organizational levels—clinical, financial, administrative, and information systems—that utilize patient data for decision-making and daily functions.
- Supervise patient health records and medical information, manage computerized information systems, gather and analyze patient data, and utilize classification systems and medical terminologies.
Who should take the exam?
Before applying to sit for the RHIA exam, candidates must fulfill one of the following eligibility criteria:
- Completion of the baccalaureate-level academic prerequisites of a Health Information Management (HIM) program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM); or
- Fulfillment of the Master’s-level academic prerequisites of an HIM program accredited by the CAHIIM; or
- Fulfillment of the academic prerequisites of an HIM Certificate of the Degree (Post-Baccalaureate) program endorsed by the CAHIIM; or
- Graduation from an HIM program endorsed by a foreign association with which AHIMA has a reciprocity agreement.
Eligibility for Early Testing
Students enrolled in HIM academic programs accredited by CAHIIM may qualify to apply for and sit for the RHIA or RHIT certification exam ahead of schedule. Eligibility for early testing applies to students who fulfill the following criteria:
- Currently enrolled and in their final term of study.
- Completed their coursework but have not yet graduated.
- Graduates awaiting their official transcripts.
Exam Details
- Exam Name: RHIA
- Exam Questions: 150
- Time Duration: 3.5 hours
- Passing Score: 300
- Exam Language: English
RHIA Exam Course Outline
The Exam covers the given topics -
Domain 1: Understand Data and Information Governance (17-20%)
- Evaluate the integrity of the health record documentation
- Apply knowledge necessary to process the required clinical data elements for quality reporting (e.g., facility committees, payers)
- Understand and apply data dictionary standardization policies
- Manage documentation and data standards based on organizational policy
- Complete data analysis to inform management
- Develop policies and procedures for health record data, documentation management, and information governance
- Comply with retention and destruction policies for health information
- Manage the integrity of the master patient index (MPI)
Domain 2: Learn Compliance with Access, Use, and Disclosure of Health Information (15-18%)
- Manage patient access to their health information, including use of patient portals
- Advocate for patients and families in the process of obtaining health information
- Process health information requests according to legal and regulatory standards
- Monitor access to protected health information (PHI) internal and external to the organization (e.g., health
- information exchange (HIE))
- Develop health information request workflows to comply with legal and regulatory standards
- Follow breach of information protocols
- Ensure compliance with privacy and security initiatives (e.g., cyber security, disaster recovery)
Domain 3: Understand Data Analytics and Informatics (23-26%)
- Support end users in EHR applications
- Create reports and visual representations of data
- Use database management software and techniques (e.g., data mining)
- Audit documentation using a focused tool (e.g., CDI, quality, safety)
- Optimize health information and other technologies to improve workflows
- Support health information exchange solutions
- Examine software applications and integrations for the impact to health information
- Understand the information systems development life cycle, including the analysis, design/development, implementation, maintenance, and evaluation phases
- Validate healthcare statistics for organizational stakeholders
Domain 4: Learn about Revenue Cycle Management (20-23%)
- Educate providers on various reimbursement models
- Validate coding accuracy
- Monitor department of health and human services (HHS) clinical documentation requirements
- Conduct clinical documentation integrity (CDI) activities in support of revenue and quality improvement initiatives
- Support the claims management process (e.g., CDM maintenance, DNFB analysis, and A/R management)
- Assign diagnoses and procedure codes and groupings according to official guidelines
- Conduct revenue integrity activities (e.g., coding audits, denials management, and fraud prevention)
Domain 5: Understand Management and Leadership (23-26%)
- Develop and implement goals and strategies, including change management to support organizational initiatives
- Demonstrate knowledge of contracting/outsourcing processes
- Perform human resource management activities (e.g., recruiting staff, creating job descriptions, resolving personnel issues)
- Perform and oversee work design and process improvement activities
- Facilitate training and development
- Prepare and implement budgets
- Assist with accreditation, licensing, or certification processes
- Monitor organizational compliance with health laws, regulations, or standards
- Demonstrate knowledge to lead or facilitate project management