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Best clinical documentation improvement specialist certifications
The best certifications for a clinical documentation improvement specialist are Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioner (CDIP), Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT), and Certified Construction Specifier (CCS).
Clinical documentation improvement specialist certifications demonstrate your competency as a clinical documentation improvement specialist to employers. However, not all clinical documentation improvement specialist certifications provide the same value.
Below is a list of the best clinical documentation improvement specialist certifications. Obtaining a clinical documentation improvement specialist certification will give you a leg up when you apply for jobs and increase your potential salary.
7 best certifications for clinical documentation improvement specialists
| Rank | Clinical documentation improvement specialist certification | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioner (CDIP) | AHIMA |
| 2 | Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) | AHIMA |
| 3 | Certified Construction Specifier (CCS) | CSI |
| 4 | Certified Code Specialist | ACIA |
| 5 | Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist (CCDS) | ACDIS |
| 6 | Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) | AHIMA |
| 7 | Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) | AHIMA |
7 best clinical documentation improvement specialist certifications
1. Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioner (CDIP)
This certification will assure the competency of individuals who capture the documentation necessary to fully communicate the patient's health status and conditions. These individuals will be positioned as leaders and role models in the health informatics and information management community. AHIMA's CDIP certification will confirm the commitment of AHIMA to globally improve and maintain quality information for those involved in healthcare as well as support the integrity of the patient's health record. The certification will distinguish those professionals serving as clinical documentation specialists as knowledgeable and competent to provide guidance relative to clinical documentation in the patient's health record, thus promoting the HIM profession overall.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? Yes
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 2 year(s)
2. Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT)
With experience, the RHIT credential holds solid potential for advancement to management positions, especially when combined with a bachelor's degree. Although most RHITs work in hospitals, they are also found in other healthcare settings including office-based physician practices, nursing homes, home health agencies, mental health facilities, and public health agencies. In fact, RHITs may be employed in any organization that uses patient data or health information, such as pharmaceutical companies, law and insurance firms, and health product vendors.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 3 year(s)
3. Certified Construction Specifier (CCS)
CCS certification demonstrates your excellence in specifications and contract document preparation and is the industry's proof that you're on top of the complex demands of your job.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? Yes
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 3 year(s)
4. Certified Code Specialist
A Certified Code Specialist is an inspector that specializes in code inspection.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? Yes
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 1 year(s)
5. Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist (CCDS)
Clinical documentation specialists understand a wide range of specialized disciplines, including education in anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, and pharmacology; knowledge of official medical coding guidelines, CMS, and private payer regulations related to the Inpatient Prospective Payment System; an ability to analyze and interpret medical record documentation and formulate appropriate physician queries; and an ability to benchmark and analyze clinical documentation program performance. The Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist (CCDS) credential provides a mark of distinction for this unique profession. Applicants who pass the certifying exam receive the designation.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? Yes
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 2 year(s)
6. Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)
Coding accuracy is highly important to healthcare organizations, and has an impact on revenues and describing health outcomes. In fact, certification has become an implicit industry standard. Accordingly, the CCS credential demonstrates a practitioner's tested data quality and integrity skills, and mastery of coding proficiency. Professionals experienced in coding inpatient and outpatient records should consider obtaining this certification.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 3 year(s)
7. Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA)
Job opportunities for RHIAs exist in multiple settings throughout the healthcare industry. These include the continuum of care delivery organizations, including hospitals, multispecialty clinics and physician practices, long-term care, mental health, and other ambulatory care settings. The profession has seen significant expansion in nonpatient care settings, with careers in managed care and insurance companies, software vendors, consulting services, government agencies, education, and pharmaceutical companies.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 1 year(s)
What is the best certification for a clinical documentation improvement specialist?
The best clinical documentation improvement specialist certification is Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioner (CDIP). The Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioner (CDIP) is awarded by the American Health Information Management Association. This certification is great to have as it shows an improvement in your competency to perform your role. You can earn this certification at the beginning of your career, as it often doesn't require a minimum education level and work experience.
Here's a bit more background on how to obtain this clinical documentation improvement specialist certification:
- To become a certified Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioner (CDIP), you need to pass the exam.
- This certificate requires more than two years of work experience.
- Renew certification every 2 year.
What are some of the most in-demand certifications for clinical documentation improvement specialists?
The most in-demand clinical documentation improvement specialist certification is Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioner based on all active job postings. Having this clinical documentation improvement specialist certification will give you access to more clinical documentation improvement specialist jobs with higher salaries.
The most common combination of clinical documentation improvement specialist certifications include: Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioner (CDIP), Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT), and Certified Construction Specifier (CCS).
Online courses for clinical documentation improvement specialists to earn certifications
1. Value-Based Care: Managing Processes to Improve Outcomes
COURSE 3 of 7. This course is designed to introduce you to critical office-based processes that a value-based practice must manage in the drive towards improved patient outcomes. In Module 2, we’ll focus on office-based and clinical patient-based supporting functions. At every level in healthcare, guidelines, processes, and functions exist to improve outcomes, and following a consistent process will return the best effect. Refine your understanding of value and learn strategies to provide real...
2. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care
This course presents basic principles of cancer survivorship to primary-care physicians. Developed by a team of experts in caring for cancer survivors, and narrated by a primary-care physician, this course provides practical tips and tools that can be easily integrated into medical practice. You will learn about the complex physical and psychosocial needs and concerns of the growing number of cancer survivors, along with the key role that primary care physicians have in guiding these patients...
3. Best Practices in Document Management
Develop your cost-effective and future-proof documentation strategy...
4. Medical Coding: ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Training
Learn medical coding and prepare yourself for today's healthcare workplace...
5. Clinical Kidney, Pancreas and Islet Transplantation
Kidney transplantation is a major advance of modern medicine which provides high-quality of life for patients with end-stage renal disease. What used to be an experimental, risky, and very limited treatment option more than 50 years ago is now routinely performed in many countries worldwide. The number of renal transplants is expected to rise sharply in the next decade since the proportion of patients with end stage renal disease is increasing. Are you interested in clinical kidney, pancreas...
6. HI-FIVE: Health Informatics For Innovation, Value & Enrichment (Clinical Perspective)
HI-FIVE (Health Informatics For Innovation, Value & Enrichment) Training is a 12-hour online course designed by Columbia University in 2016, with sponsorship from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). The training is role-based and uses case scenarios. Also, it has additional, optional modules on other topics of interest or relevance. Although we suggest to complete the course within a month's timeframe, the course is self-paced and so you can start and...
7. Certificate Course in Clinical Research (CCCR)
A Clinical Research Course-ICH-GCP E6(R2), Clinical Trials, Essential Documents, Sponsor, Investigator, Pharmaceuticals...
8. ICD 10 & 11 Medical Coding and Billing
Preparation for Medical Coding Certification Exam...
9. Operations and Patient Safety for Healthcare IT Staff
Now that you've been introduced to the world of Health IT and the important role played by electronic health records (EHRs), we'll focus on other technologies that play a role in maintaining ongoing operations in healthcare. Telemedicine, patient portals, barcode scanners, printers, and medical devices are just some of the technologies that impact providers and patients. As an IT support specialist, you’ll be asked to troubleshoot issues with a wide variety of tools. You'll see a scenario with...
10. Prehospital care of acute stroke and patient selection for endovascular treatment using the RACE scale
Acute stroke is a time-dependent medical emergency. In acute ischemic stroke, the first objective is to restore brain flow using sistemic thrombolytic treatment and, in patients with large vessel occlusion, by endovascular treatment. In hemorrhagic stroke there are also specific treatments that can improve the clinical outcome. The sooner the initiation of all these therapies the higher the clinical benefit. Thus, the organization of Stroke Code systems coordinated between emergency medical...
11. Good Clinical Practice ICH GCP for Clinical Research
Certification on ICH GCP E6 R2 Good Clinical Practice for Clinical Research The Only Complete Course You Can Find Online...
12. The New Trainer's Guide to Creating End User Documentation
Learn quick, easy and practical technical writing skills to write great end user software documentation - FAST...
13. Addiction Treatment: Clinical Skills for Healthcare Providers
This course is designed with a singular goal: to improve the care you provide to your patients with substance use disorders. By delving into a model case performed by actors, seven Yale instructors from various fields provide techniques to screen your patients for substance use disorder risk, diagnose patients to gauge the severity of their use, directly manage treatment plans, refer out to treatment services, and navigate the various conditions that may limit your patient’s access to treatment...
14. Introduction to Clinical Data Science
This course will prepare you to complete all parts of the Clinical Data Science Specialization. In this course you will learn how clinical data are generated, the format of these data, and the ethical and legal restrictions on these data. You will also learn enough SQL and R programming skills to be able to complete the entire Specialization - even if you are a beginner programmer. While you are taking this course you will have access to an actual clinical data set and a free, online...
15. Good Clinical Practice for Clinical Research Professionals
The Complete, Certified ICH GCP (R2 & R3) Course for Investigators, Study Coordinators, Sponsors, Monitors and Study staff...
16. Basic of Clinical Data Management
Clinical Data Management...
17. Professional documents using Word 2013
Learn how to effectively use Microsoft Word 2013 to create professional business documents...
18. The Beginners Course for Clinical Research
The Essentials of Clinical Trials - Clinical Research for Beginners...
19. Good Clinical Practice (GCP)
Key features of the GCP guideline, roles and responsibilities involved and the requirements of essential documentation...
20. Technical Writing: How to Write API Software Documentation
A framework for writing software documentation for an API as a technical writer, using Postman or Swagger UI...