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Applying for Accreditation

Health Informatics Graduate Education Programs

Health informatics (HI) graduate programs focus on information systems, informatics principles, and information technology as applied to the continuum of healthcare delivery. Health Informatics graduate programs demonstrate uniqueness by offering varied options for practice or research.

Developmental history for the Programmatic Accreditation Process in Health Informatics.

Process Introduction

The Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) studied the issues and needs of programmatic accreditation at the graduate level in health informatics and incorporated the work of a blue ribbon Health Informatics Workgroup in 2008 and a CAHIIM Health Informatics Committee in 2009 consisting of four appointed Commissioners to the CAHIIM Board representing health informatics educators and practitioners. Recognizing that there is a significant difference among the health informatics knowledge domains, a variety of interpretations of health informatics curricula across academic institutions, and that both the field of health informatics as a formal discipline and as an academic program are evolving, a set of curricular components are used to form curriculum guidelines.

Curriculum Guidelines

For purposes of assessing an academic program in health informatics, CAHIIM views the discipline through the lens of three major facets or domains. Information Systems curriculum components focus on such issues as information systems analysis, design, implementation, management and leadership. Informatics curriculum components are concerned with the study of structure, function and transfer of information, socio-technical aspects of health computing, and human-computer interaction. Information Technology curriculum components focus on computer networks, database and systems administration, security, and programming.

These three facets are aligned for the purpose of meeting the information needs of the various stakeholders within health care and related systems. Components of each of these facets are highly interactive with each other, requiring knowledge and skills that are shared between them. The result is a critical synergy within the discipline of health informatics. Graduates of a program must have formal exposure and show an understanding of the interconnections between the three facets. An academic program in health informatics must include the curriculum components from all three facets. Programs and students may choose to emphasize one or more facets consistent with their mission, goals and objectives. The kind of knowledge learned (knowledge dimension) and the process used to learn (cognitive processes) within each facet must be consistent with the program’s emphasis, goals and objectives.

Using a meta-data analysis approach, the following published competencies were assessed by the CAHIIM Health Informatics Committee for frequency and commonalities which resulted in the curricular components as viewed through the lens of the three major facets:

Recommendations of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) on Education in Biomedical and Health Informatics; First Revision (2010)
http://www.imia-medinfo.org/new2/

AMIA Board White Paper: Core Content for the Subspecialty of Clinical Informatics, JAMIA Vol. 16: No. 2, March/April 2009. www.amia.org

The Development of A Model Curriculum for Applied Health Informatics (H.D. Covvey; J.E. MacNeill) http://healthinformaticssystems.com/?p=88

Joint Work Force Task Force: Health Information Management and Informatics Core Competencies for Individuals Working With Electronic Health Records (AHIMA and AMIA 2008) http://www.ahima.org/infocenter/whitepapers/workforce_2008.pdf

Competencies for Public Health Informaticians 2009 http://www.cdc.gov/InformaticsCompetencies/

It was determined that the analysis of existing published competencies would be used to populate each of the three broad facets with specific curriculum components. The five published documents combined with the work of the 2008 Health Informatics Workgroup, and assessment of curricula from existing health informatics academic programs provide a basic framework on which to build and assess a graduate level program. As the process evolves refinements to the health informatics master’s degree curriculum components will be made.

The Online Candidacy Application Process for Accreditation

CAHIIM Candidacy Description

The purpose of this process is to establish a consultative relationship with developing programs in Health Informatics, the sponsoring institution and CAHIIM staff in working towards CAHIIM Accreditation. Such programs may be in the planning or early stages of program implementation.

An Application for Candidacy should be made if a program and its sponsoring institution believes it is in full compliance with the current Standards for Accreditation. The review and decision of a submitted application may take up to 30 days to complete.

Achieving applicant Candidacy status does not guarantee eventual Accreditation of the program.

Length of Candidacy Status

A developing or operating program may remain in Candidacy status for a maximum of two (2) years from the date of application.

Expiration of Candidacy Status

This status may be terminated if it is found that the requirements for Candidacy have not been met at any time or the maximum 2-year period has elapsed without having achieved Staff approval to move to the Initial Accreditation Site Visit Process. If the program has been informed of this action, the program must reapply by submitting a new Application for Candidacy. If eligible and approved by CAHIIM, the program may submit a request for an Extension of Candidacy Status (2 years) along with the full Candidacy Status Fee.

Change in Program Director: Should this occur during the Candidacy period, the program review process may be suspended for up to 3 months while the new Program Director assimilates and assumes the roles and responsibilities described in the Standards. A lack of a Program Director after three months may result in removal of the program applicant from Candidacy Status, may also result in the cancellation of the Site Visit Date, and may also result in the updating of previously entered program review information upon request.

Criteria for Candidacy

A program may apply for Candidacy only if:

Candidacy Status will be denied if the above Criteria for Candidacy have not been met at the application stage.

CAHIIM Processing Fees (Programs are invoiced)

Fee Type

Amount

Due

*Candidacy Status (In effect for 2 years)

$7,500.00

Within 30 days of Invoice date

Site Visit Processing Fee

$2,000.00

Site Visit Team Expenses

As incurred

*Once invoiced and paid this fee is non-refundable and non-transferable.

Next Steps: How to begin the process

The CAHIIM Accreditation System (CAS) Portal

The program should apply using CAS links at the left navigation bar.

Visit the CAS System Resources link to:

1. Find comprehensive information on the registration and application processes and assistance and guidelines for completing subsequent stages in the accreditation process.

2. Download all system based CAHIIM template forms to be used and uploaded in the system. Program created forms may not be substituted and will not be accepted.