Commission on accreditation for health informatics and information management education

Working alongside schools that offer programs in health informatics or health information management, the organization reviews required coursework, professor qualifications, research capabilities, and job placement rates, and verifies whether or not a program stands up to the professional standards and competencies required of those who will eventually graduate with one of the aforementioned degrees. This practice also exists for majors in everything from nursing to business, human resource management to architecture, and is seen as an added credential for those expecting long-term career advancement in the field.

Resource: Top 25 Master’s in Healthcare Informatics Degrees Ranked by Affordability 2014

Backed By a Leading Industry Body in Health Information Management

All career-specific accrediting agencies are typically tied to a professional body that oversees not only educational programs, but also occupational standards, ethics, and best practices. That is certainly the case with the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education. The group consists of a 12-member, all-volunteer board that actually enforces educational standards and reviews current academic programs at America’s leading universities. Eight of the board’s 12 volunteer members are actually members of the American Health Information Management Association, which backs the group and provides a blueprint for proper accreditation and best practices.

The result of this private backing is clear: Programs given the CAHIIM seal of approval find favor with those who are already in the industry and looking to hire recent grads with a high degree of competence. The American Health Information Management Association ensures the quality of the degree, the likely quality of the graduate, and the potential for networking among likeminded professionals in the workplace.

Added Resources Made Available to Accredited Schools and Programs

In addition to ensuring the academic quality and high level of rigor within programs that it has accredited, the CAHIIM is also determined to help further the profession’s long-term goals. To that end, the organization makes available a long list of white papers and academic guidelines, as well as its plan for the future of the health informatics and health information management professions, to accredited institutions. The availability of these materials actually helps professors teach lessons and content that is more relevant to both the present and future state of each occupation. As a result, graduates from accredited programs are more likely to have a solid understanding of current management strategies, information technology concepts, and information management implementations.

White papers and website tools are paired with the ongoing availability of professional development seminars for professors and consultations with university faculty and administrators. All told, the goal of the accreditation process is to give the school an initial seal of approval and then make sure that the institution has regular access to the tools they need for ongoing professional development and evaluation. In this way, the accreditation is easy to maintain and continually works in graduates’ favor.

An Excellent Way to Ensure High Levels of Academic Quality

Many schools today are seeking accreditation not only from the requisite regional bodies recognized by the US Department of Education, but also from professional bodies within each industry to which a given degree applies. The Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education ensures that students of health information management or health informatics receive the highest quality of education and the best chance at long-term career success after graduation.