New! Please see announcement regarding important changes to the AHIMA Approved Continuing Education Program here

Continuing Education Provider Program

AHIMA’s Continuing Education Provider Program recognizes external organizations as continuing education unit (CEU) providers that have met the Association’s standards.

AHIMA’s approval process is voluntary and is initiated by the program sponsor requesting approval. Continuing Education Provider status does not constitute endorsement of a program sponsor or its materials. The program sponsor is responsible for maintaining the content and quality of any program that has received prior approval.

Program sponsors may request approval of CEUs for program attendees holding any of the following credentials:

• Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA®)
• Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT®)
• Certified Coding Associate (CCA®)
• Certified Coding Specialist (CCS®)
• Certified Coding Specialist—Physician-based (CCS-P®)
• Certified in Healthcare Privacy and Security (CHPS®)
• Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA®)
• Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioner (CDIP®)

AHIMA does not grant prior approval for review courses, study seminars, or similar offerings.

Want to know more about becoming a Continuing Education Provider?  Download the complete handbook

Benefits of the Continuing Education Provider Program

Recognition

• Programs are recognized by AHIMA, HIM professionals, coding professionals, and employers as programs that have met AHIMA’s requirements for continuing education.
• Approved programs are provided to more than 101,000 health information professionals.
• Approved programs are added to AHIMA’s directory of Continuing Education Providers

Marketing Opportunities

• Sponsoring organizations will communicate the value of the approved program to more than 101,000 health information professionals
• Use of AHIMA’s Continuing Education Provider Program logo (according to AHIMA guidelines), which may be used in marketing and other activities promoting your approved program
• Confirmed numbers of CEUs
• Ease of submission of CEUs for attendees

Apply to be a Continuing Education Provider Program

To apply to be an approved Continuing Education Provider, applicants should:

1. First-time applicants need to have a company AHIMA ID created and pay the initial annual fee in order to be registered as a Prior Approval organization. Contact PriorApproval@AHIMA.org to begin the process.
2. Fill out the application through the online prior approval portal. Submit all required supporting documentation and pay application fees via credit card.
3. An application is required for each individual program which offers CEUs. If a program is comprised of multiple modules/lessons/sessions, only one application is required so long as they are not offered individually.
   • Any changes to the program pertaining to additional program dates and locations, faculty, program title, program content, or program length will be subject to a $50 revision fee.
   • Incomplete applications will not be processed and will be returned to the program sponsor.
   • Retroactive prior approval must include the date the CEU certificate is issued to participants. This date must be after the program has received approval.
4. Review of submitted applications takes approximately 4 weeks. The sponsoring organization will receive a final decision email containing either an explanation for program denial or confirmation of approval containing the number of CEUs the program has been approved for and the dates through which the program is valid.

Fees & CEU Calculation

Fees

Applicants are required to pay an annual fee once a year.

• Nonprofit organizations: $250
• For-profit organizations: $500

Applicants are also required to pay an application fee.

• Nonprofit organizations: $125 for 5 or less CEU and each additional CEU is $25
• For-profit organizations: $250 for 5 or less CEU and each additional CEU is $50

Reviews of submitted applications take approximately 4 weeks. An organization may request that their application review be expedited:

• Nonprofit organizations: $75
• For-profit organizations: $75

Calculating the Number of CEUs

CEU hours are awarded based upon educational contact hours.

0.5 CEUs are given for every thirty (30) minutes of attendance or participation that is fixed in length. The minimal number of CEUs is 0.5 (30 minutes) for any type of program. A session lasting less than 30 minutes will not be awarded any CEU credit.

CEUs are calculated by rounding up to the nearest ½ hour. CEU credit should be calculated according to the following table: