Continuing Education Activities
Continuing education (CE) credits must be earned within your CAHIMS® and CPHIMS® three-year renewal cycle or within your CPDHTSSM two-year renewal cycle, and be relevant to the healthcare information and management systems field in one of the six types described below. The CAHIMS and CPHIMS certifications require 45 credits, 25 of which must be provided by HIMSS approved programs. The CPDHTS certification requires 30 credits, 15 of which much be provided by HIMSS approved programs. For each program, two of the 30 or 45 continuing education hours, as applicable, must be related to ethics or conflict of interest.
1. Seminar, Workshop and Conference Sessions | No limit
Receive 1 CE hour for each 60 minutes of participation in educational programs on topics related to healthcare information and management systems. A certificate, verification form or letter verifying your attendance is required for documentation.
- Education portions of HIMSS/Digital Health Canada educational activities
- Education portions of programs sponsored by related organizations on topics that maintain, update or enhance knowledge and/or skills relevant to the healthcare information and management systems profession
- CE events
- Approved Providers of Education
2. Academic Hours | No limit
All courses, coursework and final exams must be completed by your renewal cycle end date. A transcript, grade report or verification form is required for documentation.
- Post-secondary courses taken for credit in pursuit of an associate, baccalaureate, masters or doctorate, relevant to healthcare information and management systems: 5 CE hours for each academic credit
- Audited or non-credit adult education courses taken relevant to healthcare information and management systems, without completing necessary requirements for full formal credit: 3 CE hours for each academic course completed
- HIMSS Approved Education Partners can be an excellent source of academic hour CEs.
3. Professional Presentations | 10-hour limit
Qualified presentations consist of original work relevant to healthcare information and management systems professionals delivered to an audience. Documentation must include a copy of the program brochure listing you as the presenter and a copy of the presentation. Presentations are developed and submitted by the presenter.
- Speaker at an educational program: 1 CE hour for each 15 minutes of podium time
- Panel participant at an educational program: 1 CE hour for each 60 minutes of podium time
- Guest lecturer for a college/university course: 1 CE hour for each 15 minutes of podium time
4. Publications | 20-hour limit
Publication activities are limited to articles in reviewed journals, professional newsletters, or chapters in edited or published books relevant to the healthcare information and management systems field. Required documentation for publication credit is a copy of the cover page of the article or book, or the table of contents for a chapter in a published book. Publications required as part of work responsibilities cannot be counted toward CE hours.
- Book related to healthcare information and management systems; you must be the author or co-author: 20 CE hours for a book, 5 CE hours for each update
- Book chapter related to healthcare information and management systems; you must be the author or co-author: 10 CE hours for each chapter, 3 CE hours for each chapter update
- Dissertation must be relevant to healthcare information and management systems field. List the dates for which credit was granted by your college or university for work done toward the completion of your dissertation. Provide a copy of the first page containing the title, dissertation committee, the name of the college or university and date of defense. A transcript, grade report or verification form is required for documentation. 5 CE hours granted
- Article published in a peer-reviewed journal related to healthcare information and management systems; you must be the author or co-author: 5 CE hours for each article
- Peer reviewer of article published in peer-reviewed journal related to healthcare information and management system: 1 CE hour per each article reviewed
- Article published in a professional newsletter, or organizational publication; you must be the author or co-author: 1 CE hour for each article
5. Professional Service and Leadership | 25-hour limit
Complete volunteer service during your renewal cycle with an international, national, state, provincial or local related professional organization or society relevant to the healthcare information and management systems field. Service activities required as part of work responsibilities cannot be counted toward CE hours. Required documentation is a certificate of recognition/appreciation or signed letter from the organization with the dates and type of service.
- Serving in the capacity of chair or vice chair for boards of directors, committees or review boards: 10 CE hours per year of service
- Serving in the capacity of member for boards of directors, committees or review boards, including conference presentations: 7 CE hours per year of service
- Serving in the capacity of chair or vice chair for any of the following; task forces or workgroups: 7 CE hours per year of service
- Serving in the capacity of member on task forces, workgroups or other: 5 CE hours per year of service
- Serving as a lead digital health validation partner: 7 CE hours per validation
- Serving as an associate digital health validation partner: 5 CE hours per validation
6. Item Writing | 5-hour limit
Item writing for the CAHIMS, CPHIMS or CPDHTS exams (CE hours predetermined by HIMSS). To learn more about this opportunity, contact certification@himss.org.
Non-Qualifying CE Activities
Responsibilities that fall within the normal parameters of an individual's job description do not qualify for CE hours. These activities include but are not limited to:
- Staff meetings
- Grand rounds
- Preparation for and/or participation in accreditation and licensure surveys
- Preparation of procedure, policy or administrative manuals
- Conducting tours
- Participation in career day activities
- Development of employee and staff training materials
- Development of published materials and/or presentations as a direct part of an individual's employment
- Instructing or teaching a class that is part of an individual’s primary employment role
- Summarizing articles, audiotapes or video
- Programming that is platform specific (such as software certifications and associated prep courses or user group meetings) do not meet the above stated recertification requirements
HIMSS Continuing Education Approval Program
Interested in offering HIMSS CE hours on your program(s)? The HIMSS Continuing Education Approval Program recognizes organizations that have met our standards for providing CE credits.