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