AHIMA health data analyst credential endorses in-demand skills

As the healthcare industry becomes increasingly data driven, more organizations are seeking data management, analysis and reporting skills.

The American Health Information Management Association’s (AHIMA’s) certified health data analyst credential enables professionals to prove mastery in a broad range of data skills. Lisa Brooks Taylor, RHIA, director of HIM practice excellence at AHIMA, spoke to Clinical Innovation + Technology about this credential.

“We saw a growing need for data analysts in provider organizations as well as other sectors,” explained Taylor of the credential’s roots. The health information management system is an integration point between clinical, business, legal and regulatory realms. “The health information management professional often is answering ad hoc questions for the executives, so it seemed a natural progression for a specialty certification,” she said.

In 2008, a multiple stakeholder group identified the three domains of expertise required of a data analyst—data management, data analysis and data reporting—and listed out related tasks necessary for proficiency. Once AHIMA completed the test writing process, the association administered the first exam in 2010.

Taylor said that the credential enables someone from outside the healthcare industry to show their proficiency and knowledge basis on healthcare terminology, classifications and standards. “The credential shows they have a level of proficiency in understanding the workflow, the patient flow across the continuum and the information flow of the industry. This credential serves well for a traditional college student or someone with postgraduate education that has not had extensive experience in the healthcare industry,” she said.

Professionals who take exam are required to have one of the following:

• Associate’s degree and a minimum of five years of healthcare data experience
• AHIMA’s healthcare information management credential and a minimum of three years of healthcare data experience
• Baccalaureate degree and a minimum of three years of healthcare data experience
• Healthcare information management credential and a minimum of one year of healthcare data experience
• Master's or related degree (JD, MD or PhD) and one year of healthcare data experience

Taylor said professionals with the certified health data analyst credential find work across many sectors in the healthcare industry including with hospitals, physician practices, clinics, payers and vendors. She listed job titles of recipients, including health data analyst, quality data analyst, business intelligence analyst, care management data analyst, decision support system management analyst, clinical data coordinator, operations manager, compliance auditor, director of integrated healthcare management and administrative director of planning and decision support, among many others.

“It speaks well to how the industry is changing and shows how the jobs are morphing,” she said. “There is no shortage of work.”

More information on the credential is here.