4 Hot IT Certifications for HIT Professionals

We receive daily inquiries from healthcare IT professionals and prospective consultants who want to learn more about Epic certification. Given Epic’s predominant market share and growth, it’s easy to understand why so many covet this badge of Epic expertise.

But EMR-specific technical skills, while highly desirable, are by no means the only information technology needs in healthcare today. Below are four other IT certifications that could bump your pay scale, boost your marketability and help you create a new career path in HIT.

CISSP, CISA and CISM

Hospitals say security breaches are their most challenging and costly IT incidents. With patient sensitive data to protect, a growing number of healthcare entities are hiring experts in IT security. Popular and well-recognized certifications in the field are Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and Certified Information Security Manager (CISM).

These roles can be lucrative. CISM and CISA rank as the second- and third-highest paying certifications in IT, according to this salary survey from Global Knowledge.

RHIT

Registered Health Information Technicians (RHITs) specialize in medical record information management. This credential is often a prerequisite for management roles in health information management (HIM), which may involve oversight over all of an employer’s HIM systems, medical records and coding.

According to the AHIMA, most RHITs work in hospitals, but 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. Learn more about RHIT certification.

PMP

Solid project management skills are always in demand. In healthcare, where complex, large-scale IT projects are increasingly the norm, certification as a Project Management Professional (PMP) can be invaluable.

Project management professionals earn six-figure salaries on average. But PMP certification is not for novices. Even with a four-year degree, each PMP candidate must have 4,500 hours of practical project management experience, according to the Project Management Institute.

Curam

Although owned by IBM, Curam is still a relatively little-known software solution that has carved out a niche in program management and benefits qualification for state health exchanges, Medicaid programs and other health-related and social services agencies.

Because Curam was founded in Europe, there are few U.S.-based consultants skilled in the software. That translates into leverage and marketability for Curam certified developers and analysts.