Joint Work ForceTask Force

Health Information Management and InformaticsCore Competencies for Individuals Working

With Electronic Health Records

American MedicalInformatics Association

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October, 2008

Contents

Executive Summary

Background

Recommendations to the Industry

A Work Force Action Agenda

Conclusion

References

Copyright ©2008 by the American

Medical Informatics Association

(AMIA). All rights reserved. No part

of this publication may be

reproduced, reprinted, stored in a

retrieval system, or transmitted n any

form or by any means, electronic,

photocopying, recording, or

otherwise without the prior written

permission of the Association.

AcknowledgementsAMIA and AHIMA would like to thank the following individuals who participated inthis project as Task Force Members:

Participants

Teresa Foley, MA, RHIA, CPHCMedical Record Consultant Office of theSurgeon General

Elizabeth Franchi, RHIAData Quality Coordinator, VHA

Carole A. Gassert, RN, PhD, FACMI, FAAN,University of Utah College of NursingAssociate Dean, Information and Technology

Kim Harris-Salamone, PhD, Director,Physician Office Quality Health ServicesAdvisory Group, Inc.

Judith Logan, MD, MSAssociate Professor in the Department ofMedical Informatics and ClinicalEpidemiology

Sandi Mitchell, RPh, MSISDirector Pharmacy Informatics ResidencyProgram Medication Use Information,Department of Pharmacy

Bonnie Petterson, PhD, RHIAHealth Information Technology ProgramDirector – Phoenix College

Staff

Meryl Bloomrosen, MBAVice President, AMIA

Mikia Heard, RHIAHIM Intern

Tania Kuhl, BSHIM Intern

Claire Dixon-Lee, PhD, RHIA, FAHIMAVice President, AHIMA

Linde Tesch, RHIAAHIMA Staff

Nania Walia, BSHIM Intern

Acknowledgements

Health Information Management and Informatics Core Competencies for Individuals Working WithElectronic Health Records

BackgroundIn 2005, the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) and the American HealthInformation Management Association (AHIMA) created a process and a committee to jointly develop and addressa common public policy agenda. One of the first actionitems on the joint committee’s agenda was to address theurgent need to support investments in education andtraining for health informatics and health informationmanagement (HIM) professionals. Recognizing thedemands of an increasingly global and electronichealthcare environment, AMIA and AHIMA hosted awork force summit meeting in November 2005 and in2006 issued a report entitled, “Building the Work Force forHealth Information Transformation” (seewww.amia.org/inside/initiatives/workforce.asp).

One of the recommendations from the 2005 work forcesummit and contained in the 2006 report was to:Convene a joint task force to define basic competenciesfor those who use EHRs in their daily work. In order tocarry out that recommendation, the associations created ajoint work force task group. The work force task groupconvened during 2007-2008 and completed its work withthe issuance of this report.

Workforce issues are major priorities for both AMIAand AHIMA. In addition to this task force, theassociations are engaged in a number of activities tohelp support the preparation, growth and developmentof a work force in an increasingly electronic healthenvironment. These activities are briefly described inthe Appendix (D) to this report.

Preface

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IntroductionThe American Health Information ManagementAssociation (AHIMA) and the American MedicalInformatics Association (AMIA) are committed to thedevelopment of a healthcare system that uses best evidenceto support the health and healthcare services forindividuals and populations. This will occur within aslowly emerging nationwide health information system.The organizations’ leaders believe that additionaleducation and training is needed for the health workforceto play a critical role in the transformation of theAmerican healthcare system.

The growing role of information technology withinhealthcare delivery organizations has created the need todeepen and widen the pool of workers who can helporganizations maximize the ongoing effectiveness of theirinvestment in information technology, and in so doingmaximize impact on equity, safety, patient-centeredness,timeliness, effectiveness and efficiency of care. Globally,the health industry is engaged in wide-scaleimplementation of information systems to support variousnational and international imperatives, includingproviding clinical care, research and education, publichealth reporting and surveillance, homeland security, andconquering diseases. The health sector faces an expandingarray of sophisticated clinical information systems that are

being implemented into a broader range of settings, therebyincreasing the volume and complexity of data and givingevidence of the growing role that information systems willplay in virtually every aspect of healthcare delivery.1

The purpose of this document is to introduce a model forpotential use across various health and allied healthdisciplines and to guide education and training forindividuals working with EHRs.

BackgroundAMIA and AHIMA hosted a meeting, the Work Force forHealth Information Transformation: A Strategy Summit inWashington, DC, in November 2005, which broughttogether public and private stakeholders from academia,business, government, professional associations, andprovider organizations. A formal report was publishedtitled Building the Work Force for Health InformationTransformation in February 20062 summarizing theproceedings. The report contained targetedrecommendations to healthcare employers, employees,industry representatives, government, and professionalorganizations for preparing the existing healthcare workforce to use technology tools and to ensure a sufficientnumber of well-qualified health information specialists toachieve effective health IT transformation.

Specific recommendations in the report included: • Convene a joint task force to define basic competencies

for those who use EHRs in their daily work• Encourage leadership from employers and health IT

industry representatives for on-the-job training andsupport for current healthcare workers

• Create incentives and encourage the healthcare workforce to see health information competencies and skillsas professional and personal goals

• Seek federal support for health IT adoption, training,and legislation to increase funding for educationprograms and students

• Incorporate health informatics education requirementsfor all health professions.

1 AMIA's White Paper Policy Series on Timely Issues in Informatics, Don E.Detmer and Charles Safran, Journal of the American Medical InformaticsAssociation. 2005, 12(4):495.

2 AHIMA, AMIA, Building the Work Force for Health InformationTransformation, February 2006.

Introduction

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Workforce Task ForceIn 2007, AHIMA and AMIA convened a Joint WorkforceTask Force (WF-TF) to address one of therecommendations: the need for basic core competenciesexpected of a healthcare workforce that uses EHRs in theirdaily work in the era of electronic health informationtechnology. AMIA and AHIMA each identified memberswith background, experience, and expertise in training,curriculum design, health information management;health informatics and workforce development.

Intended AudiencesIt is vital that private and public policymakers know thatcore competencies are fundamental to educate and traincurrent and additional workforce members. Throughthem, the nation can achieve its health informationtechnology and data use goals. The intended audience forthese core competencies is widespread and comprises thefoundation for training as well as formal education of anyhealth worker creating, accessing or using EHRs in theirdaily work. This includes various professional associationsrepresenting healthcare disciplines, healthcare employerswho are targeting training for non-professional healthcareworkers who use electronic health information systems intheir daily work, and for college and university faculty inupdating curricula for the clinical, health and allied healthdisciplines.

There are several important cross-cutting issues, includingthe wide variety of health professionals—from physiciansand nurses to therapists and admissions staff—who are orwill be using EHRs as part of their day-to-day activities.This, in turn, has an impact on the broad range of trainingneeded, from basic computer literacy to moresophisticated computer applications and healthinformation management skills; the range of environmentsin which training will take place, from professionaleducation programs to the workplace itself; and theimportant role of vendors in the training process.3

New graduates in any healthcare profession need a skill setadaptable to computer technologies and EHRs to supportwork processes and information access experienced in thecourse of daily workflow. Employees at all levels and jobtypes within today’s healthcare workplace need a new setof skills and knowledge to embrace and effectively utilizecomputer technologies and electronic information. Part ofthe challenge is ensuring these workers function in a broadcontinuum of care and effective use of health informationand electronic information systems. In addition, it isanticipated that these workers are likely to have differentresponsibilities due to the use and application of electronichealth records.

3 Center for Health Workforce Studies. 2005. The role of innovativetechnologies in improving the quality of patient care: Trainingimplications for the health workforce. http://chws.albany.edu

Workforce Task Force

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Purpose

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PurposeThe EHR core competencies matrix tool is offered for useby various educational and training programs, healthcareorganizations and professions. We envision severalspecific purposes, including: (a) supporting the design ofin-service and on-the-job training programs for thecurrent workforce who encounter and use the EHR; (b)serving as a reference for healthcare workforce jobdescriptions; (c) planning professional developmentactivities; (d) building specific professional competencies(after review and expansion by various healthprofessions); (e) developing new employee orientationprograms; and (f) improving formal health professionalacademic curricula. The matrix tool is a model thatcaptures the basic core competencies and sorts on thosecompetencies thought to be applicable to each of variedroles and settings of healthcare delivery, and the workflowneeds of each.

To encourage development of models for training andacademic education of the EHR core competenciesmatrix tool, government policymakers are urged toconsider funding programs to disseminate thisfundamental information.

These competencies can be used by healthcare employersand other relevant organizations as part of ongoingorientation and training programs for healthcare workerswho use the EHR and health information in their dailywork. Health professions and their professionalorganizations can adopt and incorporate applicable basiccompetencies in professional development and trainingactivities for the current work force as well as includingthem in academic curricula. For example, the corecompetencies can be applied in multiple ways to helptrain a workforce in appropriate use of an EHR; access tohealth information in a health data network or healthinformation exchange, basic knowledge for those whoimplement and install an EHR, or actively participate insuch a process.

Appendix A includes proposed core competencies in fivedomains or categories:

I. Health information literacy and skillsII. Health informatics skills using the EHRIII. Privacy and confidentiality of health informationIV. Health information/data technical securityV. Basic computer literacy skills.

Several roles represent the broad range of healthcareworkers and work settings, including physicians, nurses,ancillary care providers (allied health), pharmacists,information technologist (IT), administrative personnel,clerical staff, human resources, financial/regulatory, thirdparty payors, data analysts/providers, public healthworkers, consumer/patient/family, therapists (such asphysical, occupational, respiratory), health informationexchange staff (HIE), emergency medical personnel,medical assistants, clerical (such as admissions clerks,healthcare access manager), dietary workers, transportservices, physician extenders (such as physician assistantsand nurse practitioners) laboratory or radiologytechnicians; reception/volunteer desk; and nurses’ aides.

Work settings are characterized as: acute care, ambulatorycare, physician’s office, ancillary entities, outpatientclinics, military hospital, pharmacy, vendors (EHR/PHR),public health agencies, regional health informationexchanges, health record banks, health information serviceproviders, long-term care facilities, behavioral health,rehabilitation centers, independent diagnostic facilities,community-based healthcare organizations, specialty careservices, hospice, employers/occupational health, dentalclinics, psychology services, school/student health services.

To emphasize the type of learning outcome expected ofeach competency statement, Bloom’s Taxonomy4 was usedto classify the competency under one or more categories:(1) cognitive knowledge, (2) affective behavior or attitude,or (3) psychomotor skill. Bloom’s Taxonomy is usedextensively in higher education, as a standardclassification system that describes the types and level oflearner outcomes resulting from a training process. Use ofBloom’s Taxonomy helps to specify learning competenciesso that after a training or formal education sessions, thelearner should have acquired new knowledge, attitudesand/or skills. The Workforce Task Force felt that thiswould help users of the core competencies matrix tool tobetter plan learning experiences and prepare evaluationmethods.

4. Bloom, B.S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Handbook I:The Cognitive Domain. New York: David McKay Co. Inc.

Next StepsRecognizing the growing importance of workforcedevelopment and the continuing shortage of trainedworkers within the healthcare system, AHIMA and AMIAexpect to convene a national consensus conference insecond quarter 2009: A Call to Action for Building theWorkforce for Health System Transformation. Thisconference would make a defined case for national policyand funding, specifically targeting attention to the healthinformation management (HIM) and health IT workforceneeds; assess progress and barriers to meeting HIM/HITworkforce projections; introduce the EHR CoreCompetencies Matrix Tool; and producerecommendations for further action by stakeholders.Potential stakeholders would include representatives fromemployer organizations, labor unions, professionalassociations, HIT vendors, state departments of labor, andhigher education, among others.

Next Steps

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Appendix A: Workforce Task Force Framework of ElectronicHealth Record (EHR) CoreCompetency Statements

To view the EHR Core Competencies Matrix Tool visit:www.ahima.org or www.amia.org

I. Health information literacy and skillsII. Health informatics skills using the EHRIII. Privacy and confidentiality of health informationIV. Health information/data technical securityV. Basic computer literacy skills.

Within the Core Competencies Matrix Tool cells we list theskill sets and/or knowledge needed in terms of acompetency statement (attached to a role) and usingBloom’s Taxonomy structure: cognitive (C), affective (A),psychomotor (P) indicating the type of learning outcome.A core competency may impact more than one taxonomycategory for the learner. Below is the complete list of allcore competencies identified by the task group, but onlyselected core competencies are applicable to each health careworker role by using the Core Competencies Matrix Tool.

The health worker should be able to meet the following competencies as applicable to his/her role, setting and workflow:

Domain I. Health informationliteracy and skills1. Differentiate data versus information. 2. Describe the principles of structure, design, and use of

health information (such as individual, comparativereports, and trended data).

3. Use health record data collection tools (such as inputscreens, document templates).

4. Apply standard data definitions, vocabularies, termi-nologies, and/or relevant healthcare data sets (such asOASIS, HEDIS, UHDDS) as used in the organization’shealth information systems.

5. Differentiate between the types and content of patienthealth records (such as paper-based, electronic healthrecords, and personal health records).

6. Adhere to health record documentation requirements ofexternal agencies and organizations (such as thosespecified by the Joint Commission, regulatory bodies,professional review organizations, licensure, reimburse-ment, discipline-specific “good practice”).

7. Adhere to internal organizational health record docu-mentation requirements, policies, and procedures.

8. Ensure that documentation in the health record reflectstimeliness, completeness, accuracy, appropriateness,quality, integrity, and authenticity as required.

9. Adhere to information systems policies and proceduresas required by national health information initiativesfrom national, state, local, and organizational levels.

10. Write or update policies and procedures related to health data and information in daily work.

11. Identify incorrect data and take corrective action. 12. Identify methods and types of data collected in

health care.13. Maintain professional standards in all documentation

activities.

Appendix A

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Domain II. Health informatics skillsusing the EHR and PHR1. Create and update documents within the electronic

health record (EHR) and the personal health record(PHR).

2. Locate and retrieve information in the electronic healthrecord for various purposes.

3. Perform data entry of narrative information.4. Locate and retrieve information from a variety of elec-

tronic sources.5. Differentiate between primary and secondary health

data sources and databases.6. Know the architecture and data standards of health

information systems.7. Identify classification and systematic health-related ter-

minologies for coding and information retrieval. 8. Know the policies and procedures related to populating

and using the health data content within primary andsecondary health data sources and databases.

9. Apply appropriate documentation management princi-ples to ensure data quality and integrity.

10. Use software applications to generate reports.11. Know and apply appropriate methods to ensure the

authenticity of health data entries in electronic information systems.

12. Use electronic tools and applications for scheduling patients.

Domain III. Privacy and confiden-tiality of health information skills1. Explain legal responsibility, limitations, and implica-

tions of actions.2. Apply the fundamentals of privacy and confidentiality

policies and procedures.3. Follow legal aspects and regulations of documentation

in requests for information.4. Identify legal and regulatory requirements related to

the use of personal health information.5. Identify and apply policies and procedures for access

and disclosure of personal health information.

6. Identify policies and procedures regarding release ofany patient-specific data to authorized users.

7. Identify what constitutes authorized use of personalhealth data.

8. Participate in privacy and confidentiality training programs.

9. Follow security and privacy policies and procedures tothe use of networks, including intranet and Internet.

10. Follow confidentiality and security measures to protect electronic health information.

11. Maintain data integrity and validity within an information system.

12. Report any possible breaches of confidentiality in accordance with organizational policies.

13. Describe the possible consequences of inappropriate use of health data in terms of disciplinary action.

14. Describe monetary and prison penalties for breaches.15. Document profession-specific information in an

electronic health record.16. Know appropriate methods to correct inaccurate

information/errors personally entered in an electronic health record.

17. Authenticate information entered in an electronic health record.

18. Access reference material available through an electronic health record.

19. Identify the source of information entered in an electronic health record.

20. Identify, evaluate, select, and appropriately use computer systems for patient information documentation.

21. Teach others health record concepts, laws, documentation requirements and organizational policies and procedures as it applies to your work.

Appendix A

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Domain IV. Health information/datatechnical security skills1. Implement administrative, physical, and technical

safeguards.2. Develop security policies and procedures.3. Resolve minor technology problems associated with

using an electronic health record.4. Follow access protocols for entry to an electronic

health record.5. Enforce access and security measures to protect

electronic health information.6. Recommend elements that must be included in the

design of audit trials and data quality monitoring programs.

7. Implement policies, procedures, and training for healthdata security.

8. Apply departmental and organizational data and information system security policies.

Domain V. Basic computer literacy skills 1. Apply basic computer concepts and terminology in

order to use computers and peripheral devices, com-puter communications systems, general purpose andorganization-specific system applications, and patientcare/health-related software applications.

2. Demonstrate use of the essential aspects of file organi-zation, information storage (such as disk or flashdrive), protection from data loss, and basic computerskills.

3. Use basic word processing, spreadsheet, database, anddesktop presentation applications as applicable to yourwork.

4. Identify, evaluate, and use Web-based literatureresources, CD-ROMs, and Internet resources.

5. Conduct basic file organization and management forroutine storage and protection from data loss.

6. Use statistical analysis packages.7. Use portable computing devices to facilitate data input

and management.

8. Demonstrate basic computer operating proceduressuch as login the computer and logoff, opening, closureand saving files.

9. Demonstrate proficiency in the Windows operatingenvironment.

10. Resolve minor technical problems associated with use of computers.

11. Demonstrate Internet/intranet communication skills.12. Access and use a Web browsing application.13. Demonstrate use of email, addressing, forwarding,

attachments, and netiquette.14. Identify and use icons, windows, and menus.15. Create and name or rename subdirectories and

folders.16. Open and work with more than one application at

a time.17. Demonstrate how to save work to a computer file,

and printing and copy a file.18. Create and edit a formatted document using

tables and graphs.

Appendix A

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Appendix B

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Appendix B: SAMPLE EHR Core Competencies Matrix Tool by Discipline(complete matrix tool is available at: www.amia.org and www.ahima.org )

Appendix C: List of Allied HealthProfessionals and Associations(Note: Given the limitations of this project this is not anexhaustive list of health professions and not all health disci-plines’ websites were reviewed.)

Anesthesiologist AssistantAmerican Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants

Art TherapistAmerican Art Therapy Association

Athletic TrainerNational Athletic Trainers' Association

AudiologistAmerican Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Blindness and Visual Impairment ProfessionsAssociation for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blindand Visually Impaired

Blood Bank Technology, Specialist inAmerican Association of Blood Banks

Cardiovascular TechnologistSociety for Vascular Ultrasound American Society of EchocardiographyAlliance of Cardiovascular ProfessionalsSociety of Invasive Cardiovascular Professionals

Clinical Laboratory Science/ Medical TechnologyAmerican Society for Clinical Laboratory Science American Society for Clinical PathologyAssociation of Genetic Technologists

Counseling-related occupationsAmerican Counseling Association

CytotechnologistAmerican Society of Cytopathology

Dance/Movement TherapistAmerican Dance Therapy Association

Dental AssistantAmerican Dental Assistants Association

Dental HygienistAmerican Dental Hygienists' Association

Dental Laboratory TechnicianNational Association of Dental Laboratories

Diagnostic Medical SonographerSociety of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

Dietetic Technician, DieticianAmerican Dietetic Association

Electroneurodiagnostic TechnologyAmerican Society of Electroneurodiagnostic Technologists

Emergency Medical Technician-ParamedicNational Association of Emergency Medical Technicians

Genetic CounselorNational Society of Genetic Counselors

Health Information ManagementAmerican Health Information Management Association

Health-System Pharmacists American Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Histologic Technician/HistotechnologistNational Society for Histotechnology

KinesiotherapistAmerican Kinesiotherapy Association

Massage TherapistAmerican Massage Therapy Association

Medical AssistantAmerican Association of Medical Assistants

Medical and Health InformaticsAmerican Medical Informatics Association

Medical LibrarianMedical Library Association

Music TherapistAmerican Music Therapy Association

Nuclear Medicine TechnologistSociety of Nuclear Medicine -- Technologist Section

Appendix C

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Occupational TherapyAmerican Occupational Therapy Association

Ophthalmic Dispensing OpticianOpticians Association of America

Ophthalmic Laboratory TechnicianOptical Laboratories Association

Ophthalmic Medical Technician/TechnologistJoint Commission on Allied Health Personnel inOpthalmology

OrthoptistAmerican Orthoptic Council

Orthotist and ProstheticAmerican Orthotic and Prosthetic Association

Pathologists' assistantAmerican Association of Pathologists' Assistants

PerfusionistAmerican Society of Extra-Corporeal Technologists

Pharmacy TechnicianAmerican Association of Pharmacy Technicians

Physical Therapist, Physical Therapist AssistantAmerican Physical Therapy Association

Physician AssistantAmerican Academy of Physician Assistants

Radiation Therapist, RadiographerAmerican Society of Radiologic Technologists

Rehabilitation CounselorNational Rehabilitation Counseling Association

Respiratory Therapist, Respiratory Therapy TechnicianAmerican Association for Respiratory Care

Speech-Language PathologistAmerican Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Surgical AssistantNational Surgical Assistant Association

Surgical TechnologistAssociation of Surgical Technologists

Therapeutic Recreation SpecialistAmerican Therapeutic Recreation Association

Appendix D: Other AMIA andAHIMA Workforce Related Activities

AMIA Activities1. AMIA believes that certification of physician clinical

informaticians will support the professional needs ofindividuals in this role. AMIA is developing certificationto be coordinated with formal training programs forclinical informaticians as part of the domain ofbiomedical and health informatics. This is beingpursued by seeking a medical specialty to sponsorinformatics to the American Board of MedicalSpecialties using materials developed by AMIA.

2. As soon as this initiative shows progress, AMIA willadapt, if needed, the core content prepared for physicianinformaticians for doctoral or master’s prepared (non-MDs) clinicians to purse advanced training in clinicalinformatics. We anticipate that this will includecandidates for a Ph.D. in medical informatics, doctor ofnursing practice, doctor of pharmacy, etc.

3. AMIA created the Academic Forum as a membershipunit dedicated to serving the needs of post-baccalaureatebiomedical and health informatics training programs.The Academic Forum was conceived by recognizedleaders to establish a professional home for academicinformatics. The mission of the AMIA Academic Forumis to promote the development of biomedical and healthinformatics as an academic discipline. The Forumprovides a vehicle for surveying and analyzing activitiesin academic units dedicated to biomedical and healthinformatics and for recommending best practices relatedto education, scholarship, faculty development, andfaculty retention. The Forum provides a locus fordiscussion of national research initiatives in informaticsand a round table that facilitates collaboration amongdifferent academic units to further their objectives foreducation and research.

Appendix D

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4. AMIA, working through its Academic Forum, is alsoidentifying a common set of biomedical and healthinformatics competencies for members, current andprospective member institutions, and the greater healthinformation technology community. Formal andcomprehensive biomedical and health informaticscompetencies will provide a foundation and frameworkfor the discipline and provide guidance to educatorsand educational administrators for the advancement ofnew and existing informatics training programs, as wellas for faculty recruitment and development. The scopeof the effort includes the domains of translationalbioinformatics, clinical healthcare and researchinformatics, and public health/population informatics.

5. AMIA formed the Academic Strategic LeadershipCouncil as a body to assure that a leadership basedevelops within the academic health sciences. Theessential mission of the Academic Strategic LeadershipCouncil is to act as a catalyst of change to enableacademic health science institutions to lead the way toimprovements in health and health care throughbiomedical/health informatics. This leadership will bereflected in work force development, research,demonstration of effectiveness and policy. Ifsuccessful, academic health science institutions willevolve into environments that develop anddemonstrate informatics enabled improvements inpublic health, care delivery, biomedical research andhealth professions education.

6. Further work is underway to delineate what informaticscontent and skills are needed in the education of otherclinicians and information managers. To this end,AMIA’s Academic Strategic Leadership Council (ASLC)is beginning an initiative in concert with theAssociation of Academic Health Centers (AAHC) and afew other national educational organizations relating tohealth. AHIMA is an invited participant to thatinitiative.

7. Additionally, AMIA has actively participated in theTechnology Informatics Guiding Educational Reform(TIGER) Initiative. The TIGER Initiative aims toenable practicing nurses and nursing students to fullyengage in the unfolding digital era of healthcare.(/www.tigersummit.com)

8. AMIA’s 10x10 program is teaching basic knowledge andskills in informatics at the graduate course level (seehttp://www.amia.org/10x10)

9. AMIA is conducting public health informatics trainingfor qualified participants under a cooperativeagreement with the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention (CDC).

10. An emerging AMIA initiative referred to as “20/20 Bitsand Bytes” will consist of carefully defined and focusedbiomedical and health informatics knowledge or skillssets, tools, and content useful and applicableworldwide.

AHIMA 1. Creation of the Action Community for e-HIM®

Excellence (ACE), composed of HIM professionals whoare leading, influencing and making a difference in thehealthcare work force. See www.ahima.org

2. The Foundation of Research and Education (FORE)supports an HIM Faculty Development Stipendprogram to assist HIM educators with professionaldevelopment funding, offers the FORE ResearchInstitute in its second year of operation, and supportseducators and practitioners seeking advancededucation or research seed monies. Seehttp://www.ahima.org/fore/about/

3. FORE supports the design and delivery of the VirtualElectronic Health Record Laboratory project whichprovides web-based, vendor-supported informationmanagement technology applications for studenthands-on practice serving over 125 HIM collegeprograms at the associate, baccalaureate and graduatelevels to prepare graduates for the electronic work forcechallenges.

4. Launch of Courseshare, a new service for HIMeducators as a member benefit giving educators accessto peer-reviewed, downloadable content for use inacademic settings with cutting edge contentcontributions from educators and professionals in HIMand related fields.

5. The Assembly on Education (AOE) Summer Symposiumand Faculty Development Institute annually provides aforum for educators to share, learn and update theirteaching skills to address work force needs

Appendix D

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6. AHIMA is a sponsor of the Commission onAccreditation for Health Informatics and InformationManagement Education (CAHIIM) which recognizesthrough accreditation over 250 academic programs inhealth information management and health informaticsat the associate, baccalaureate and graduate levels. Seewww.cahiim.org

7. AHIMA offers advanced mastery certifications such asCertified Healthcare Privacy and Security (CHPS) andthe new Certified in Health Data Analytics credential.

8. Through AHIMA’s Vision 2016 for Quality Education inHIM, two studies in 2008 focus on educators’ issues andan employer survey of future roles and competencies ofgraduate level HIM professionals. Seehttp://www.ahima.org/emerging_issues/Vision2016BlueprintforEduc.pdf

9. Work has begun on an International core curriculummodel for HIM in countries embracing EHRs.

10. AHIMA continues to align with AMIA, HIMSS, TIGERand numerous other initiatives to build and strengthenthe healthcare workforce for the future.

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The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) is the premierassociation of health information management (HIM) professionals. AHIMA’s 52,000members are dedicated to the effective management of personal health information needed todeliver quality healthcare to the public. Founded in 1928 to improve the quality of medicalrecords, AHIMA is committed to advancing the HIM profession in an increasingly electronicand global environment through leadership in advocacy, education, certification, and lifelonglearning. To learn more, go to www.ahima.org.

AMIA is the professional home for biomedical and health informatics. AMIA is dedicated tothe development and application of informatics in support of patient care, public health,teaching, research, administration, and related policy. AMIA’s 4,000 members advance theuse of health information and communications technology in clinical care and clinicalresearch, personal health management, public health/population, and translational sciencewith the ultimate objective of improving health. Complete information about AMIA isavailable at www.amia.org.

233 N. Michigan Ave., 21st Fl.Chicago, IL 60601-5809www.ahima.org

4915 St. Elmo Ave., Suite 401Bethesda, MD 20814www.amia.org