A registered health information administrator (RHIA) is a certified professional who oversees the creation and use of health information systems in health care settings.
To become an RHIA, an applicant must first graduate from an accredited health information technician program with an associate’s degree and then pass the RHIA certification test through AHIMA (American Health Information Management Association).
RHIAs design health information systems that meet all legal, ethical and medical requirements. These systems are updated with new patient information and electronic health records by registered health information technicians but it’s the RHIA’s job to ultimately maintain and evaluate the database. RHIAs must be in contact with many other professionals in an organization to ensure that all levels of an organization know how to use patient data in decision making and daily operations.
RHIAs usually work in hospitals but they are also needed in other organizations, such as insurance and pharmaceutical companies.
See also: electronic medical records
Learn more:
Read about RHIA certification on AHIMA's website.
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