DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Nov 28, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- As healthcare providers
expand their use of information technology (IT) solutions for patient care and
medical practice administration, CompTIA, the non-profit trade association for
the IT industry, has introduced a new credential for IT workers serving the
healthcare market.
The CompTIA Healthcare IT Technician specialty certification is a vendor- and
technology-neutral credential that covers the knowledge required to implement,
deploy and support healthcare IT systems, including electronic medical record
and electronic health record (EMR/EHR) systems.
CompTIA also announced today that the first CompTIA Authorized Quality
Curriculum approved courseware for the Healthcare IT Technician specialty
certification is now available from Element K. The instructor-led training from
Element K focuses on essential healthcare IT concepts and terminology, as well
as how to deploy and support EMR/EHR systems.
Technology is viewed as an important component of a medical practice by nine
out of ten doctors, dentists and healthcare administrators surveyed for
CompTIA's Third Annual Healthcare IT Insights and Opportunities study, published
earlier this month. Three-fourths of healthcare providers expect to increase
their technology spending in the next 12 months compared to last year.
"Technology is clearly changing the way healthcare is delivered," said Terry
Erdle, executive vice president, skills certification, CompTIA. "That means the
skill sets of IT professionals working in healthcare must change as well.
"The CompTIA Healthcare IT Technician specialty certification addresses both
technical proficiency and knowledge of healthcare terminology and regulatory
requirements," Erdle continued. "Individuals who earn this credential will be
well positioned to install, administer service and support healthcare IT systems
in a broad range of clinical settings."
The CompTIA Healthcare IT Technician specialty certification closely maps to
two job roles for skilled health IT specialists identified by the Office of the
National Coordinator for Health IT as being critical in helping healthcare
providers transition to EMR/EHR systems. These job roles are implementation
support specialist and technical and software support staff.
The credential is also highly relevant for managed IT service providers that
deliver technology services and consultation to medical facilities, offices and
practices; and to healthcare professionals involved in healthcare IT liaison
roles
Potential candidates should possess a basic understanding of a medical
practice workflow while adhering to code of conduct policies and security best
practices. The exam is intended for IT professionals who are CompTIA A+
certified or have 500 hours of hands-on IT technical experience in the lab or
field, plus the knowledge and skills necessary to deploy and support healthcare
IT systems in clinical settings. The specialty certification can also be used to
validate the technical skills of healthcare professionals with adequate training
or experience in the basics of IT hardware installation and maintenance...
Areas of healthcare IT covered in the exam include regulatory requirements;
organizational behavior; IT operations medical business operations; and
security. Complete exam objectives are on the CompTIA certification web site.
Exam vouchers are available in North America through the CompTIA Marketplace or
directly through Pearson VUE and Prometric.
In addition to professional credentials and comprehensive market research,
CompTIA offers the IT industry a broad selection of other resources related to
the healthcare IT market, including:
-- The CompTIA Healthcare IT Community, a group of industry leaders who work
collectively to create standards, best practices and educational resources for
IT businesses engaged in serving healthcare customers.
-- CompTIA IT Channel Training, a full portfolio of live workshops, on-demand
webinars, printed and downloadable training guides and other resources for IT
companies active in or contemplating entering the healthcare market.
-- A whitepaper that calls for greater IT industry involvement in the
implementation of new healthcare IT solutions.
About CompTIA
CompTIA is the voice of the world's information technology (IT) industry. As
a non-profit trade association advancing the global interests of IT
professionals and companies, CompTIA is the recognized authority for IT
education and credentials and the primary advocate for IT businesses and
workers. Through its foundation, CompTIA also enables disadvantaged populations
to gain the skills they need for employment in the IT industry. CompTIA's vision
of the IT landscape is shaped by more than 25 years of global perspective and
more than 2,000 members and 1,000 business partners. For more information, visit
www.comptia.org or follow CompTIA on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/comptia .
SOURCE: CompTIA
