Preparing to Challenge the CHIMA National Certification Examination

Transcription

1 Preparing to Challenge the CHIMA National Certification Examination

2 Overview Introduction to CHIMA/CCHIM Exam & deadline dates Certification exams Multiple choice exams Development of exam Learning Outcomes in HIM Why does the exam not have more coding questions? Gap Analysis Tool Marking of exam Sectional breakdown Seven competencies Exam layout Exam questions Application process Invigilator and exam site information Future plans

3 Introduction to CHIMA/CCHIM CHIMA is our national professional association; it was founded in 1942 to provide a forum for Health Information Management (HIM) professionals to share their expertise The Canadian College of Health Information Management (CCHIM) was formed in 1972 to provide educational standards and professional certification for the HIM profession These bodies operate jointly, under the acronym CHIMA, to achieve the following mission, vision and values.

4 CHIMA s Mission CHIMA is the national organization that represents leadership and excellence in health information management. As a national association, we: support continuing education and professional practice of HIM professionals develop strategic partnerships to advance the development and integration of electronic HIM 4

5 advocate for and strengthen the HIM role in health care settings across the continuum of care As a federally chartered college, we: are the single source of credentialed Health Information Management Professionals partner with educational institutions, our members, industry, and employers to develop the competencies, skills and knowledge for the HIM profession provide essential research and expertise in health information standards and best practice 5

6 As a profession, we: contribute to client care, outcomes and safety through the provision of accurate, complete, timely and accessible health information support the Canadian public by advocating for and monitoring the privacy, security and confidentiality of personal health information 6

7 CHIMA s Vision and Values CHIMA VISION: Advancing the health care system as the change leader in health information management. CHIMA VALUES: Learning Leadership Excellence Integrity Collaboration 7

8 Domains of Practice Electronic Health Information Management (e HIM ) Data Quality Privacy Health Information Management Standards The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) provides its industry leading e HIM education and advocacy programs to support the effective use of information technology to manage patient information and healthcare data.

9 Strategic Direction Evolve and Advance the HIM Profession CCHIM Strategic Goals Advance HIM Professional Competencies Promote Lifelong Learning Collaborate with Academic Institutions to Promote Educational Excellence CHIMA Strategic Goals Enrich the Value and Benefits of Membership Enhance the profile of certified HIM Professionals in Advancing Quality Care and Healthcare System Efficiencies Governance Strategic Goals Uphold a Strong Governance Framework Advocate for CHIMA and CCHIM Sustain Organizational Capacity 9

10 Exam and Deadline Dates Exam dates are posted on the CHIMA website as well as in the Examination Guide. Deadline dates for submission of Application and Invigilator Agreement are posted on the CHIMA website as well as in the Examination Guide

11 Special Needs Policy Special need, as defined for CHIMA policy, refers to an applicant or candidate with any documented temporary or permanent physical impairment or any persistent mental, psychological, sensory or learning impairment. See exam guide for further information. Written documentation of disability is required.

12 Certification Exams Certification exams are more difficult than regular school exams as they are comprehensive and are intended to assess a broad range of competencies

13 Certification Exams Individuals who do very well on school exams do not always perform as well as they expect during their first certification examination If you are unsuccessful on the first attempt, do not get discouraged try again If you have difficulty with multiple choice exams, there are resources that can help

14 Professional credential and title Upon successful completion of the CHIMA national examination, you will be eligible to use the following: Professional credential CHIM Professional title Certified HIM Professional

15 Graduation from an HIM program does not mean you are an HIM professional If you do not successfully challenge the CHIMA national examination, you are not an HIM professional and cannot use the CHIM credential or HIM. CHIM is protected as the college credential and HIM is trademarked by CHIMA.

16 By signing the examination application form you are confirming that the information contained on the form is accurate and that you agree to abide by all examination policies and rules and the CHIMA Code of Ethics during the entire examination process. Any breach of the following rules and regulations constitutes a breach in the Code of Ethics and could result in disqualification from writing, automatic failure of the examination, or a professional conduct enquiry.

17 Code of Ethics It is the responsibility of each member to: 1. Strive at all times to provide services consistent with quality health care, promotion and prevention. 2. Strive at all times to protect the privacy, security and confidentiality of health information in any form or medium. 3. Perform duties diligently and offer only those services for which one is qualified. 4. Conduct oneself in the practice of the profession so as to bring honour and dignity to oneself, the HIM profession and the Canadian College of Health Information Management. 5. Conduct oneself in an ethical manner consistent with the values of the Canadian College of Health Information Management and report any unethical practices to the appropriate authority.

18 Code of Ethics It is the responsibility of each member to: 6. Strive to improve one s professional knowledge and competence through continuing education and lifelong learning. 7. Offer leadership and a proactive, innovative approach to advancements in health information management practices. 8. Abide by the policies and by laws of the Canadian College of Health Information Management and actively support its strategic directions. 9. Support and mentor students, peers and colleagues to develop and strengthen the workforce and profession. 10. Respect the dignity and worth of every person. Code and Interpretation Guidelines

19 Multiple Choice Exams It is to your advantage to learn the logic required to answer multiple choice questions Be sure to read the questions carefully Try writing your own multiple choice questions to help you study Practice answering real questions you can find examples in your textbooks, course work, etc.

20 Multiple Choice Exams Answering multiple choice questions involves making distinctions between correct and nearly correct statements there is always one BEST answer Read the question carefully before you look at the answers Attempt to come up with the answer in your head before looking at the possible answers, this way the choices given on the test are less likely to confuse you

21 Multiple Choice Exams Eliminate answers you know are not right Read all the choices before choosing your answer As there is no guessing penalty on the CHIMA exam, always take an educated guess and select an answer Avoid changing your answer; usually your first choice is the right one, unless you misread the question

22 Some people find it helpful to bring paper and pencil to the exam; once you are in your seat, prepare a listing of a, b, c, d on your paper to help you eliminate potential answers. This strategy enables you to consider only the answers you have not eliminated. a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d a b c d

23 Multiple Choice Exams For further information on multiple choices exams, try the following websites: ep/fastfacts MultipleChoiceExams.html

24 Exam Development There is one national exam for both diploma and degree graduates All questions are based on the Learning Outcomes taught in all CHIMA programs All exam questions are based on the diploma level competencies All questions are based on entry level HIM functions

25 Exam Development Exam development is a multi stage and ongoing process All questions are validated prior to becoming real questions on exam Every exam includes some validation question; these questions don t count in your grade but CHIMA can analyze response patterns for relevancy, difficulty, language, etc. Exam questions are systematically reviewed and re validated for accuracy, relevancy, etc.

26 Learning Outcomes in HIM (LOHIM) All CHIMA recognized programs include these learning outcomes within their curriculum The outcomes represent the skills and knowledge that an HIM Professional is expected to have upon entry to practice It is expected that these learning outcomes will be achieved over a minimum two year diploma or four year degree program

27 The learning outcomes indicate increased responsibility in the area of computerization and database management There is an emphasis on training for non acute as well as acute healthcare facilities and a shift toward community care and employment in nonacute settings

28 The four domains of practice for CHIMA are: Privacy, Data Quality, Electronic Health Information Management, and Health Information Management Standards It is expected that the four core domains are incorporated and taught in the HIM programs The example of learning outcomes on next slide is taken from Health Information Science Section C5 (LOHIM 2006)

29 Health Information Science: Systems Evaluation Learning Outcome & Level Taught Learning Outcome Diploma Degree Design criteria-based audits to evaluate the quality of health information systems. Implement processes that comply with established standards. Identify sources of standards, criteria or benchmarks. Analyze the effectiveness of systems by objective assessment. Assess the risks associated with health information systems. Intermediate Intermediate Intermediate Intermediate Basic Advanced Advanced Advanced Advanced Intermediate

30 Why does the exam not have more coding questions? The capability to have exam candidates code is not feasible with a multiple choice style of exam. Coding competency is tested within the school program itself through lab and practical experience. Questions for coding are mainly based on the biomedical sciences, data quality and ethical issues surrounding coding classification.

31 What is the CHIMA Exam Primer? The CHIMA National Certification Exam (NCE) Primer is a valuable tool to assist any individual preparing to challenge the NCE. Based on the Learning Outcomes for Health Information Management programs, it identifies each Learning Outcome with a few examples of the knowledge content, and the level to which this will be tested. Some practice questions are provided, as well as helpful tips in preparing for the exam. Available for sale ($40 plus GST/HST) on CHIMA s website NOTE: If you are applying to write the national examination, the Primer is included in the exam price but will not be available until you apply online to challenge the examination.

32 Marking of the Exam There are three (3) sections containing seven (7) core competencies (details on the next slides) Exam candidates must get 50% in each section with an overall 60% to pass the exam

33 Sectional Breakdown Section 1 Part A of exam Includes Biomedical Sciences/Health Information Science/Ethics and Practice (including coding theory) Section 2 Part A of exam Includes Health Information Analysis & Presentation/Technology and Health Information/Ethics and Practice Section 3 Part B of exam Includes Access and Security/Ethics and Practice/Health Care System in Canada

34 Seven Competencies Included in Exam 1. Biomedical Sciences includes medical terminology; anatomy and physiology; and pathophysiology 2. Health Information Science includes system standards; system design; data collection and grouping (including coding classification, terminologies and nomenclatures); system maintenance; and system evaluation

35 3. Health Information Analysis & Presentation includes epidemiology; research design and methodology; statistics; data retrieval, analysis and presentation techniques; and health information provision and dissemination 4. Technology and Health Information includes computer technology, concepts and information applications; assessment, evaluation and selection of new technologies; system and database management; system effectiveness; information assessment of linkage, integration and interfacing

36 5. Access, Privacy and Security Safeguards of Health Information includes access and disclosure of health information according to legal requirements; administrative, technical and physical safeguards for health information; storage, back up, retention and destruction of health information 6. Ethics and Practice includes the role of an HIM professional past, present and future; CHIMA professional practice guidelines and standards; professional Code of Ethics; patient advocacy; educational requirements and credentialing process for HIM professional in Canada; health information management organizations including CHIMA, provincial associations, and the International Federation of Health Information Management Association (IFHIMA)

37 7. Health Care System in Canada includes health care delivery and funding systems in Canada; current healthcare trends and changes; HIM credentialing and certification process; the role of the HIM professional; health indicators; accreditation processes; government relations, including international, national, provincial, municipal, and advocacy for the healthcare system; knowledge of health professions and organizations including certification, code of ethics, and discipline.

38 Exam Layout This is an online exam only The exam has two parts: Part A is 2.0 hours (4 pages, 4 competencies) Part B is 1.5 hours (3 pages, 3 competencies) TOTAL 3.5 hours (7 pages, 7 competencies) Each core competency is one page

39 Each page has 22 questions for a total of 154 questions on the exam You may choose to budget approximately 30 minutes per page (competency) but remember some questions may take more or less time than others You may review any question within the page PRIOR TO submitting the page Once a page is submitted, you cannot go back or change the answers

40 Why can t you go back to a previous page once submitted? The exam is set up with each page as a mini exam. If something happens to the computer, the most you would lose is 22 questions. These have to be re written. If each page is not submitted, you could potentially lose up to 2 hours worth of questions, e.g., all of Part A.

41 Application Process Download Exam Guide, Invigilator Guide, and Invigilator Agreement form from The exam application is to be completed online and can be accessed through the CHIMA Members Only section of the website. All documentation must reach CHIMA by the stated deadline date on the website. Only original, certified, final transcripts will be accepted READ ENTIRE GUIDE THOROUGHLY

42 Some schools send transcripts en masse, some schools do not determine if you need to request an individual transcript from the Registrar after convocation to ensure it is your final official transcript stating that you have graduated and been awarded your degree or diploma. If you are a re write candidate (since 2005) or an active associate level CHIMA member, you do not need to submit another transcript Transcripts become the property of CHIMA and will not be returned

43 Once our online application has been approved, payment will be processed Ensure all addresses are legible and accurate as this is the primary form of communication Incorrect or illegible addresses will delay receipt of vital information

44 CHIMA will not verify receipt of individual applications or invigilator documentation prior to approval dates noted within exam guide CHIMA is not responsible for applications that are not submitted properly

45 Invigilators and Exam Sites Where possible, non distance education schools will have invigilators assigned and an exam writing centre assigned. Exam candidates will need to confirm with their Program Coordinators as to whether or not they are setting up an exam writing centre for the graduating class. All distance education students (e.g., HealthcareCAN/CHA Learning) are required to locate an exam site and invigilator on their own.

46 Questions? Please questions to the Coordinator of Certification and Continuing Education at Remember to read the Examination Guide thoroughly!