I have written about my many motivations to acquire a Health IT certification through the Office of the National Coordinator's HITECH program. The advantages are numerous: a top notch education designed by industry and academic leaders, the opportunity to network with individuals in the field, tuition entirely reimbursed upon successful completion within the six months, etc.
One more advantage was announced in the last week: the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) is now offering HITECH students membership at a special rate of only $50 -- a $115 discount for up to two years. As you may know, AHIMA membership provides a world of resources, including access to more than 61,000 other health information, informatics, and technology professionals committed to advancing the industry.
Among the advantages of membership as highlighted by AHIMA.org include:
- Access to the AHIMA Body of Knowledge online library
- Network on the Communities of Practice
- Exciting annual convention and many other events held throughout the year
- Career Assist job-search site
- Practice briefs provide professional insight
- Opportunity to grow your professional skills through online and in-person training.
- Receive AHIMA’s award-winning Journal—Available in both print and digital format
- Career-enhancing credentials
- Discounts on professional resources for career growth.
This partnership not only promotes AHIMA, but it tells me that the HITECH certificate program is headed in the right direction as far as industry adoption goes. As of this publishing, I could not find any other Health IT certificate program that has established such a bond with AHIMA.
