Answer

A Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) is a credential awarded by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), after one is able to successfully demonstrate competency in management of useful health information, as well as the processes involved such as security, transmission, input and storage (Condon & Barefield, 2012). Due to the transition into a digital form of health information storage and dissemination, also known as the HER (Electronic Health Record), it has become increasingly important for health practitioners to be well acquainted with knowledge and expertise about information administration. With HER, organizations can monitor and track information in a complex manner.

An RHIA certified individual has more value in a health organization than one who is not, since they possess infinite understanding of the entire healthcare business, including how data is coded, patient quality scores, as well as other quality measures that ultimately lead to success (Dolan, Wolter, Nielsen, & Burrington-Brown, 2009). Due to the increasingly competitive nature of the healthcare industry, organizations only want the best, and so, the RHIA certification becomes invaluable not only to an employed practitioner, but even to the fresh graduates that are seeking first employment opportunities (Condon & Barefield, 2012). It is a sign of one’s commitment to the health career.

In conclusion, the RHIA certification has become an unalienable appendage in the healthcare sector, as it bridges the gap between service delivery, and the business aspect of health. It provides practitioners with supreme knowledge in healthcare data coding, and employers are looking for graduates who have this added advantage as part of saving on costs, and also working with knowledgeable people to drive growth as well as quality service delivery. It is, thus, important for one to sit for the exam soon after graduation.