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Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA®)

Registered Health Information Administrator RHIA icon

RHIAs are a critical link between care providers, payers, and patients. The RHIA has a comprehensive knowledge of medical, administrative, ethical, and legal requirements and standards related to healthcare delivery and privacy of protected patient information. 

RHIAs work in multiple settings in the healthcare industry, including hospitals, multispecialty clinics and physician practices, long-term care, mental health, and other ambulatory care settings. They can also work in non-patient care settings such as managed care and insurance companies, software vendors, consulting services, government agencies, education, and pharmaceutical companies. 

RHIAs: 

  • Manage people and operational units, participate in administrative committees, and prepare budgets. 
  • Interact with all levels of an organization—clinical, financial, administrative, and information systems—that employ patient data in decision-making and everyday operations. 
  • Manage patient health information and medical records, administer computer information systems, collect and analyze patient data, and use classification systems and medical terminologies. 
5 Steps to New Grad Success

The Advantages of Certification for New Graduates

In a competitive job market, new grads in health information (HI) are seeking ways to stand out. Curious if RHIA certification holds the key to your career growth? Check out our latest blog post and explore five impactful and career-boosting benefits of RHIA certification.

Explore 5 RHIA Certification Benefits

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility Requirements: Before applying to take the RHIA exam, you must meet one of the following eligibility requirements:

¹ Students interested in obtaining a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, Certificate of Completion, or Transfer of Credits information must contact the CAHIIM-accredited program in which they wish to enroll regarding their institutional policies. Please visit the CAHIIM program directory for a list of CAHIIM-accredited programs.

² AHIMA and the Canadian Health Information Management Association (CHIMA); Korean Medical Record Association (KMRA); and Health Information Management Association of Australia (HIMAA) shall permit a graduate of a program in HIM at the baccalaureate degree level to apply to write the appropriate certification examination consistent with the academic level achieved and given independently by the aforementioned associations. The graduate must meet the educational competencies for certification as a technician or administrator established by the association to which the application is made.

Get Prepared for the Exam

AHIMA certifications are administered by the AHIMA Commission on Certification for Health Informatics and Information Management (CCHIIM). The CCHIIM does not contribute to, review, endorse or require any review books, review sessions, study guides, or other exam preparatory activities.

link to Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) Exam Preparation bundle

Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) Exam Prep, Tenth Edition, Bundle

Confidently prepare for the RHIA exam with Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) Exam Preparation. Revised and reorganized to reflect the RHIA exam domains and tasks, this bundle includes an exam voucher along with 820 RHIA questions for study and practice that include answers with rationales and reference to enhance your learning. Whether you are a student or have already started your career, the RHIA Exam Preparation will prepare you for exam day!

Learn More

  • Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) Exam Prep, Tenth Edition, Book
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  • Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) Exam Prep, Tenth Edition, ebook
    View Product

Apply for the Exam

Apply to take the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) exam.

Eligibility for Early Testing

Students in CAHIIM-accredited HIM academic programs may be eligible to apply for and take the RHIA or RHIT certification exam early. Students who meet the following requirements are eligible for early testing:

  • Students currently enrolled and in their last term of study
  • Students who have completed their course work but have not yet graduated
  • Graduates that are currently waiting for their official transcripts

To apply to take the exam early, purchase the exam through the AHIMA Store. Complete the online exam application, select the early testing options and upload the completed application for early testing. Please be sure to only submit your exam application with the completed application for early testing, otherwise your application will not be approved.

Candidates who apply for early testing and successfully pass their exam will have their credential granted once official transcripts that include the graduation date are received and verified. Recertification requirements are the same as for others who pass the exam.

About the RHIA Exam

Certified Professionals and Pass Rates

As of 12/31/2023, there were 13,865 certified RHIA professionals.

Year Exam # First-Time Testers Pass Rate First-Time Testers
2023* RHIA 760 64%
2022* RHIA 918 58%
2021* RHIA 1,103 59%

*U.S. and Canada results only

Exam Specifications

The RHIA is a timed exam. Candidates have 3.5 hours to complete the exam. The total number of questions on the exam is 150. There are 130 scored items and 20 pretest items. The exam is given in a computer-based format.

AHIMA exams contain a variety of questions or item types that require you to use your knowledge, skills, or experience to select the best answer. Each exam includes scored questions and pretest questions randomly distributed throughout the exam. Pretest questions are not counted in the final results.

The passing score for the RHIA is 300.

Competencies for RHIAs fall into five domains. Each domain accounts for a specific percentage of the total questions on the certification exam. See the Exam Content Outline below for greater detail.

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