Health Informatics

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Health Informatics

Health informatics is an interprofessional specialty that exists at the confluence of three major domains: health, information science and technology, and social and behavioral science. As with all other health professions, health informatics is the practice of using data, information, and knowledge for clinical care, scientific inquiry, decision making, and problem solving to improve the health, safety, and effectiveness of those working and being cared for within the system of health care delivery.

Health Informatics Accreditation

Health Informatics education occurs in academic programs awarding baccalaureate, masters, and professional doctoral degrees. The master’s degree has a set of Accreditation Standards that ensure the quality of the education. Standards for the baccalaureate and professional doctorate are under development. Students entering these programs come from a variety of backgrounds, e.g., engineering, computer science, healthcare, and others. Education may also occur as a specialty within clinical degree programs, e.g., medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health, dentistry, and others. CAHIIM considers informatics to be health informatics when used for healthcare delivery to be essentially the same regardless of the group involved.

Clinical Informatics is concerned with information use in health care by clinicians. Clinical informatics includes a wide range of topics ranging from clinical decision support, visual images, clinical documentation, provider order entry systems, information system design, information system implementation, and information system adoption issues.

Health Informatics professionals may practice in health care delivery, health information systems and imaging industry, health informatics education programs, and health informatics standards and policy development.

Standards

Health Informatics Accreditation Standards

Health Informatics is an interdisciplinary field that studies and pursues the effective uses of biomedical data, information, and knowledge to improve human health. Health informatics graduate programs focus on information systems, informatics principles, information technology, leadership and professionalism as applied to the continuum of healthcare delivery. Health informatics graduate programs demonstrate uniqueness by offering varied options for practice and/or research.

CAHIIM Health Informatics Accreditation Standards incorporate foundational program components such as Sponsorship, Systematic Planning, Program Autonomy and Governance, Curriculum and Program Resources.

2022 Health informatics masters degree accreditation standards
2023 Health informatics Bacclaureate degree accreditation standards
Curriculum Requirements

Health Informatics Competency Driven Education

Programs are encouraged to review their health informatics curriculum and compare current curriculum content with AMIA’s core competencies (Foundational Domains). The AMIA Foundational Domains are intended to be used for health informatics curriculum development and accreditation assessment for masters level graduate education in health informatics education.

For the purposes of CAHIIM Accreditation, students in the health informatics discipline should have working knowledge and competency of these foundational domains as they define and affect the practice of health informatics. The program graduate is expected to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that exist in the following domains:

  • Health
  • Information Science and Technology
  • Social and Behavioral Science
  • Health Information Science and Technology
  • Human Factors and Socio-technical Systems
  • Social and Behavioral Aspects of Health
  • Social, Behavioral, and Information Science and Technology Applied to Health
  • Professionalism
  • Interprofessional Collaborative Practice
  • Leadership

As with all other health professions, the work of health informaticians affects the health, safety, and effectiveness of those working and being cared for within the system of health care delivery.

AMIA 2017 Core Competencies for Health Informatics Education at the Masters Degree Level
Bachelor Health Informatics Curriculum – 2023

CAHIIM Self Evaluation Tool (CSET)

The CAHIIM Self Evaluation Tool is an Excel workbook that is used for CAHIIM program curriculum assessment. It is a mapping document that describes what is learned and observed in a Masters of Health Informatics program. The CSET also includes a heat map that will allow the program to see what their areas of concentration/focus are in the AMIA’s Foundational Domains.

The CAHIIM Self Evaluation Tool is required for the CAHIIM application and used to assess the program curriculum once the program is in Candidacy for CAHIIM accreditation.

CSET Instructions
CSET (Graduate)
CSET (Undergraduate)
Accreditation Scholarship

Health Informatics Accreditation Scholarship

Through its collaboration with the American Medical Informatics Association (“AMIA”), CAHIIM is pleased to offer the opportunity for qualified master’s in health informatics programs to apply for a scholarship to cover the costs associated with applying for CAHIIM accreditation. The scholarship is funded by AMIA and covers the cost of the application, candidacy, and site visit fee*. Prior to applying, programs should ensure that the program meets the professional curriculum content and quality of the program as measured by the Health Informatics Accreditation Standards. Up to four scholarships will be awarded in 2024 to qualified programs.

More information about accreditation and the Health Informatics Accreditation Standards can be found on the CAHIIM website, here.

*Programs pay travel costs associated with the on-site visit.

an open laptop with data and charts visible onscreen

Application Information

Please note the following when  considering applying for the scholarship and accreditation:

  • The sponsoring institution must be accredited by a regional or national accrediting institutional agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) to offer a degree.
  • The Program Director must be a full-time employee with the institution and must have a PhD or equivalent. 
  • A completed Synopsis of Curriculum must be provided with the application.
  • A Curriculum Self Evaluation Tool ( CSET) provided
    • Two courses (an Introductory course and an advanced course ) mapped in the CSET and the syllabi for these two mapped courses must be included with the application.
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Important Application Deadlines

Completed applications must be received by October 15, 2024. Applications will be evaluated by an independent committee of qualified health informatics professionals who are not affiliated with CAHIIM. 


Applicants will be notified about the Committee’s decision by December 6, 2024.

Benefits

The scholarship will cover the cost of the application fee, candidacy fee and site visit fee for initial accreditation. 


In addition, programs awarded the scholarship will also receive the following complimentary registrations during the candidacy period:

Two (2) registrations to the annual CAHIIM Process Conference.
Two (2) registrations to the annual CAHIIM Fall Summit.

Fees will also be waived for two qualified candidates to apply for a CAHIIM Fellowship and Badging through the CAHIIM Faculty Fellowship Program and the Faculty Badging Program.

Scholarship programs can also utilize the CAHIIM Job Posting services free of charge during the candidacy period.

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Initial Accreditation

Health Informatics Initial Accreditation

describes initial health informatics accreditation process

Introduction

Prior to the application process, a sponsoring institution must develop a program that meets the professional curriculum content and quality of the program as measured by the Health Informatics Accreditation Standards and Program administrators must ensure that the program is sustainable per its resource and needs assessment. The program must be developed to ensure stability professionally and financially.

Candidacy Status Application Process

Conditions for Pre-Application

Timing: Program assesses readiness for application for accreditation.

The following requirements must be met or completed during this stage in development and when submitting an application:

Program Director: Have hired a permanent Program Director that meets the minimum qualifications in the Standards for a Program Director. The position must be full time throughout the application process.

Applicant Program Campus: The program and campus applying for accreditation must award the degree which includes online applicant campuses. Other campus institutional requirements: The sponsoring institution is accredited by a regional or national accrediting institutional agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) to offer a degree. State Board of Education approvals must also be completed.

Step 1:Letter of Intent (LOI)

Once the program verifies that it meets the minimum requirements for application and has begun enrollments, the program’s President / CEO submits the letter of intent describing its readiness to pursue accreditation.

Content Description:

  1. Describe support for the program.
  2. State reasons for the program inception or program need.
  3. Confirm state and institutional authority to provide the degree granting program.
  4. Indicate the month and year of the program launch.
  5. Indicate projected month and year of first graduation class.
  6. Provide the name of the program director.

Letters of Intent should be submitted to George Payan, Accreditation Operations Manager, at george.payan@cahiim.org

Step 2: Program Submits Application

Programs will be invoiced an application fee when submitting their application for accreditation, prior to acceptance into candidacy.  Please refer to the Fee Schedule for up-to-date information about fees.

When applying for CAHIIM accreditation there are 6 required documents that must be completed prior to the submission to CAHIIM: 

1. CAHIIM Self Evaluation Tool (CSET)

Complete the CSET for two courses, an introductory level course (that all students must take) and one advanced level course (that all students must take).

CSET (Graduate)
CSET (Undergraduate)
CSET Instructions

2. Curriculum Vitae for the Program Director

Current employment must be up to date.

3. Synopsis of Curriculum

List all required courses in the curriculum (general education and the professional courses) for each specific quarter/trimester/semester within the total curriculum sequence.

Synopsis of curriculum template

4. Syllabi

The syllabi must be for the two courses used for the CSET.

Guide to constructing a useful syllabus

5. Curriculum Vitae for the Full-Time Faculty Member

Must be teaching in the Health Informatics program. Current employment must be up to date.

6. Profile Page

The profile page is a PDF document which provides CAHIIM with all contact information for the program.

The blank, fill-able PDF can be downloaded by clicking the link below.

Download profile page

Once all documents are completed, email them to the following email address: HIApplicationSubmission@cahiim.org

Once the application is submitted, programs will be invoiced the application fee.  Please refer to the Fee Schedule for up-to-date information about fees.

Step 3: Application Reviewed for Candidacy Eligibility

The application will be reviewed upon receipt of all application requirements by CAHIIM staff. An assessment will be provided within 90 days of receipt of application. Program may be requested to provide additional information or clarification.

CAHIIM senior staff reserves the right to make final administrative decisions of a program’s application status with CAHIIM. 

Step 4: Candidacy Status Granted

Denied: An application may be rejected if it does not meet the conditions for application or there are documented issues of non compliance with the Standards at anytime.

Accepted: If program is accepted into Candidacy Status, an EPC code & Self-Assessment due date is assigned and the Candidacy status fee is invoiced

CAHIIM Candidacy Status Description: An application stage while the Candidate program is allowed to complete the Self Assessment information and documentation in the online system.

An applicant program allowed into Candidacy Status is:

1. Assigned a CAHIIM Educational Program Code (EPC)
2. Assigned a Self-Assessment Due Date (1 year from date of when Candidacy Status was achieved)
3. Assigned a Candidacy Status expiration date (2 years from date of when Candidacy Status was achieved)
4. Sent Invoice for the Candidacy Status Fee
Expiration of Candidacy Status

This status will be terminated if it is found that the Requirements for Candidacy have not been maintained at any time or the maximum 2-year period has elapsed. If the program has been informed of this action, the program must reapply by submitting a new Application for Candidacy.

Step 5: Program Submits Self-Assessment

The program’s Self-Assessment is due by the date provided in the Candidacy Status notification letter or a late fee is assessed. We encourage early Self-Assessment submissions. 

Required Forms for completion and file uploads in this stage:

1. Program Evaluation Plan (required template for Standard #3. Program Effectiveness Measures)

2. Student and Graduate Table (required template for Standard #8 Faculty)
3. Faculty Table (required template for Standard #8 Faculty)
4. Synopsis of Curriculum (required template for Standard #11 Core Concentration)
5. CSET (required for Standard #12 Program-Specific Curriculum)
6. Learning Management System (required template for Standard #14 Online Content Delivery)
7. Budget Template (required template for Standard #17 Financial Resources)

Online Content Delivery
Academic technologies, software applications and simulations, and online or web-enhanced courses, have a significant role in the learning environment. To fairly evaluate online content the program must provide CAHIIM with full access to all online course content and relevant education applications used to deliver this content.

Helpful Tips:

1. Remove text formatting using a Text editor or Notepad software.
2. PDF documents should be uploaded unless its a specific CAHIIM form.

CAHIIM Process Forms

Step 6: Self-Assessment Reviewed

A formal staff review and assessment of the information submitted. CAHIIM’s preliminary assessment  will be provided within 90 days. A request for clarification or additional information may be requested and is reviewed by CAHIIM quality education staff in the order received. The program’s site visit date is coordinated during this time.

Step 7: Site Visit Conducted

The site visit of the program verifies the accuracy of documentation submitted by the program. The site visit team will meet with program officials to seek conformity with the CAHIIM Accreditation Standards. After the site visit is concluded the site visit team will complete a Site Visit Report that is generated within 10 days of the conclusion of the visit.

The program is invoiced the Site Visit Fee once the program approves the site visit team.

Download the following documents for this stage:
1. Site Visit Checklist
2. Site Visit Itinerary Template

Step 8: Program’s Response to Site Visit Report

A formal response to the site visit results is requested from the program director within 30 days.

Step 9: Accreditation Council Review

The CAHIIM accreditation council reviews program’s response to the site visit report to verify compliance with the CAHIIM Accreditation Standards. The Council makes a recommendation motion for the program’s accreditation status. Any program may be awarded a 6 month Progress Report to be submitted if there exists Standard deficiencies that remain that require time for implementation. This information will be required to be completed in the CAHIIM Accreditation System by the CAHIIM specified due date.

Step 10: Board of Directors Review

The CAHIIM Board of Directors reviews the recommendation motion presented by the council and makes the final vote on the program’s accreditation status.  The program is notified of decision within 10 days.

Step 11: Progress Report

In order to maintain accreditation status the program must submit a progress report that satisfies the remaining Standard deficiencies that resulted from the review process.

The Board Report will reflect the current Not Met or Partial Met Standard deficiencies that require the institution’s attention and provides guidelines for resolution and evidence of implementation in order to achieve full compliance for the program.

Failure to submit this report by the due date may place the program on Administrative Probationary Accreditation. An unsatisfactory progress report or a Substantive Change in Program Director during the progress report process may result place the program on Show Cause Status.

Situations that Adversely Affect the Application Process

Change in Program Director: A change in program director is prohibited during the application process and will lead to removal of Candidate Status and application rejected if the Self Assessment stage has already been submitted in the CAHIIM Accreditation System.

A stable program with no deficiencies may appoint a new permanent program director that is a full time faculty person that meets the qualifications of Program Director in the Standards. The new program director candidate must have been employed and have had involvement in the program for a minimum of 12 months.

Continuing Accreditation

Health Informatics Continuing Accreditation

describes the health informatics continuing accreditation process

Introduction

Accredited programs will undergo the annual reporting and monitoring process through the Annual Program Assessment Report (APAR). Additionally under the Standard for Administrative Requirements for Maintaining Accreditation the program must participate in a CAHIIM Comprehensive Accreditation Review with a site visit as determined by CAHIIM. Programs may also be assigned a status of Show Cause if APAR outcomes consistently trend below an unacceptable level or there is credible evidence of noncompliance within the Standards.

CAS (CAHIIM Accreditation System) is the online system for Comprehensive Accreditation Review for Continuing Accreditation applicants. Upon notification of the review process the program is immediately provided access to the Self-Assessment stage and must complete all questions and Items of Evidence by the provided Due Date.

Self-Assessment Stage: Program Submits information Based on the Standards

1. Program Evaluation Plan (required template for Standard #3. Program Effectiveness Measures)
2. Student and Graduate Table (required template for Standard #8 Faculty)
3. Faculty Table (required template for Standard #8 Faculty)
4. Synopsis of Curriculum (required template for Standard #11 Core Concentration)
5. CSET (required for Standard #12 Program-Specific Curriculum)
6. Learning Management System (required template for Standard #14 Online Content Delivery)
7. Budget Template (required template for Standard #17 Financial Resources)

Helpful Tips:

1. Remove text formatting using a Text editor or Notepad software.
2. PDF documents should uploaded unless its a specific CAHIIM form.

CAHIIM Review

A formal staff review and assessment of the information submitted. An assessment will be provided within 90 days. A request for clarification or additional information may be requested and is reviewed by CAHIIM quality education staff in the order received.

Site Visit

The site visit of the program verifies the accuracy of documentation submitted by the program. The site visit team will meet with program officials to seek conformity with the CAHIIM Accreditation Standards. After the site visit is concluded the site visit team will complete a Site Visit Report stage in the CAHIIM Accreditation System (CAS).

Download the following documents for this stage:
1. Site Visit Checklist
2. Site Visit Itinerary Template

Program Response

A formal response to the site visit results is requested from the program director within 30 days.

Council and Board Review

An accreditation recommendation and accreditation decision is provided to the program at the next available meeting. If there are Standard deficiencies remaining that require time for implementation, a program may be awarded accreditation with a six (6) month Progress Report to be submitted.  This information will be required to be completed in the CAHIIM Accreditation System by the CAHIIM specified due date.

Progress Report Requirement

In order to maintain accreditation status the program must submit a progress report that satisfies the remaining Standard deficiencies that resulted from the review process.

The Board Report will reflect the current Not Met or Partial Met Standard deficiencies that require the institution’s attention and provides guidelines for resolution and evidence of implementation in order to achieve full compliance for the program.

Failure to submit this report by the due date may place the program on Administrative Probationary Accreditation. An unsatisfactory progress report or a Substantive Change in Program Director during the progress report process may result place the program on Show Cause Status.

Information Regarding Access to and Retention of Documentation in the CAHIIM Accreditation System (CAS)

 Programs need to print copies of each section of the self-assessment in the CAHIIM Accreditation System (CAS) while going through the continuing accreditation process.  Access to CAS is terminated after the program receives a final accreditation decision and Standard deficiencies noted in the Progress Report, if applicable, have been resolved. Documents are not permanently accessible and may not be available on short notice. If a program needs copies of the self-assessment submissions, at least 30 days’ notice must be given to CAHIIM and fees will apply for reproduction and shipping of the documentation.

Situations that Adversely Affect the Application Process

Change in Program Director: A change in program director is prohibited during the application process and will lead to removal of Candidate Status and application rejected if the Self Assessment stage has already been submitted in the CAHIIM Accreditation System.

Accredited programs must notify CAHIIM within 30 days of a change in program director. The program
may identify the new Director as one of the following:

• Permanent Program Director: a candidate that does meet the qualifications of the position as
stated in the CAHIIM Accreditation Standards.

• Interim Program Director: a candidate that does meet the qualifications of the position as stated
in the CAHIIM Accreditation Standards, and a search process is in progress for a permanent
candidate.

• Acting Program Director: a candidate that does not meet the qualifications of the position as
stated in the CAHIIM Accreditation Standards, and a search process is in progress for a
permanent candidate.

Complete the form at this link including all steps for a Permanent, Interim or Acting Program Director.

Payment: An invoice will be sent for the $250 Substantive Change Fee after the approval of the Program
Director change form has been completed and a confirmation letter is provided.

Website Requirements

Website Publication Requirements

CAHIIM is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).  As part of that recognition, accredited programs are required to publish student outcomes, in addition to our other public disclosure requirements.

The following items must be located on the main “landing page” for the academic program, rather than on sub-pages which require clicking a link from the landing page.  It is, however, acceptable for this information to exist on expandable/collapsible sections of the landing page.

Programs submit the link to their landing page as part of their Annual Program Assessment Report (APAR).

For questions about these requirements, please contact info@cahiim.org.

Required Items

1. CAHIIM Seal

To obtain a copy of this image file, log into the APAR system and clicking “Resources”, then “CAHIIM accredited Logo graphic files.zip”

2. Accreditation Statement

The [HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT/HEALTH INFORMATICS] accreditor of [COLLEGE NAME] is the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). The College’s accreditation for [ASSOCIATE/BACCALAUREATE/MASTER] degree in [HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT/HEALTH INFORMATICS] has been reaffirmed through [YEAR OF NEXT ACCREDITATON CYCLE]. All inquiries about the program’s accreditation status should be directed by mail to CAHIIM, 200 East Randolph Street, Suite 5100, Chicago, IL, 60601; by phone at (312) 235-3255; or by email at info@cahiim.org.

3. Student achievement/outcomes

Program must post program graduation rate AND employment rate, as well as at least one (1) of the following:

i.  retention rate
ii. academic transfer
iii. graduate school entry
iv. 4-year undergraduate program entry/ Academic progression rate
v. student satisfaction rate
vi. certification exam pass rate (if applicable)

These outcomes must list the date and can be no older than the last full academic year.

Program can post as many more outcomes as desired; these are minimum requirements.

Definitions

CAHIIM does not require programs to use the following definitions, as these will not be applicable to all programs.  If a program’s institution defines a particular rate in a different way, the program may use their institutional definition.  The following definitions serve as examples.

Graduation rate – the percentage of a school’s first-time, first-year undergraduate students who complete their program within 150% of the published time for the program. For example, for a four-year degree program, entering students who complete within six years are counted as graduates (Definition from FAFSA).  This cannot simply be a total number of graduates; it must be a rate.

Employment rate – the percentage of graduates from a program who are employed within a specified time frame.  Program must specify the time frame (Ex. Within 6 months of graduation).  Generally, graduates pursuing further education are not included in the total.  For example:  A program with 4 graduates, where 2 gained employment and 2 entered a graduate program would report a 100% (2/2) employment rate.  Programs may choose to differentiate employment rate within a related field (healthcare) from the overall employment rate.

Retention rate – the percentage of a school’s first-time, first-year undergraduate students who continue at that school the next year. For example, a student who studies full-time in the fall semester and keeps on studying in the program in the next fall semester is counted in this rate (Definition from FAFSA).

Academic transfer – the percentage of a school’s first-time, first-year undergraduate students who transfer to another college within 150% of the published time for the program. For example, a student who is in a four-year degree program is counted as a transfer if the student goes to another college within six years (Definition from FAFSA).

Graduate school entry rate/4-yr undergraduate program entry – the percentage of a school’s graduates who enter a graduate program upon completion of the program.

4-year undergraduate program entry rate/Academic progression rate – the percentage of a school’s graduates who progress to a 4-year undergraduate program upon completion.

Student satisfaction rate – the percentage of students who have acknowledged satisfaction with their educational experience in the program, based on a student satisfaction survey.

Certification exam pass rate – the percentage of students who tested and passed the applicable certification exam for the program.  For example, the pass rate for RHIT (Associate HIM programs) or RHIA (Baccalaureate HIM programs).  NOTE:  There is currently no applicable certification exam for Health Informatics programs.

Development & Consultation Service

CAHIIM offers assistance and advising service for programs who are in various stages of development and implementation. Paid services are available in developing accreditation and compliance activities toward program improvement.

Schedule a Consultation
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CAHIIM Accreditation Manual

For more information about CAHIIM’s Standards revision process, refer to CAHIIM Accreditation Manual.

CAHIIM Accreditation Manual

Credentialing Disclaimer

CAHIIM accredits programs in Health Information Management, Health Informatics, Health Sciences, Digital Health, and various other disciplines. Once granted, CAHIIM accreditation will not guarantee or otherwise ensure student eligibility for credentialing examinations. All such matters are determined solely by credential-granting organizations. Consequently, any detrimental or other reliance to the contrary shall not be the responsibility of CAHIIM or its representatives, and it therefore will not owe any resulting liability to the School or its students.