Seventeen members and affiliate program participants of the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives are the first to be credentialed as Certified Healthcare CIOs and CHCIO-Eligible.
Launched by CHIME in July 2009, the certification program is the sole credentialing program that distinguishes healthcare IT executives from others in the industry, said CHIME officials. The be named Certified Healthcare CIOs, members must pass a CHCIO examination.
"As CHCIOs, these individuals have identified themselves as leading professionals, giving them an immediate and continuous advantage in the industry," said Tim Stettheimer, chairman of CHIME's certification committee and the CHIME Board of Trustees. Stettheimer is senior vice president and regional CIO at St. Vincent's Health System of Jacksonville, Fla.
"We believe CHCIO status is now the standard that organizations must use when determining who leads healthcare IT projects and initiatives," Stettheimer said.
The program was developed with input from 46 CHIME members and certification professionals at Castle Worldwide. By definition, a CHCIO demonstrates the commitment, knowledge and experience required to master the core skills important for successful CIOs and IT executives.
CHIME members who have been in a CIO or equivalent position for at least three years, pass the 125-question CHCIO examination and collect 25 continuing education units (CEUs) are eligible to become certified. CHCIOs must be committed to ongoing professional development and undergo recertification every three years.
CHIME also offers the 'CHCIO-Eligible' definition for candidates who meet all program requirements but lack the requisite number of years of experience as a CIO.
The first CHCIO examination was held on Oct. 27 in Indian Wells, Calif., during the CHIME09 Fall CIO Forum. The next CHCIO Examination is scheduled for Feb. 27 in conjunction with the CHIME/HIMSS CIO Forum in Atlanta.
The names of the first CHIME-certified CIOs and CHICIO-Eligible are listed on the next page.
Certified CIOs and those who are CHCIO-Eligible:
CHCIO
- Benjamin Bielak Jr., CIO, Dovetail Health, Needham, Mass.;
- Allana L. Cummings, VP and CIO, Children's Healthcare Services of Omaha, Neb.;
- Mary Carroll Ford, VP and CIO, Lakeland Regional Medical Center, Lakeland, Fla.;
- David Furnas, CIO, Gila Regional Medical Center, Silver City, N.M.;
- Bridget Haggerty, VP and CIO, Oregon Health & Sciences University, Portland, Ore.;
- Cynthia S. Hyde, CIO, Providence Hospital, Mobile, Ala.;
- Fernando Martinez, CTO/CSO, Broward Health, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.;
- Michael Minear, CIO, UC Davis Health System, Sacramento, Calif.;
- Wayne Robert Sass, VP and CIO, Nautilus Healthcare Management Group, Newport Beach, Calif.;
- Stephen M. Stewart, CIO, Henry County Health Center, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa;
- Ronald J. Strachan, FCHIME, SVP and CIO, WellStar Health System, Marietta, Ga.
CHCIO-Eligible
- James Butler, CIO, Home Nursing Agency, Altoona, Pa.;
- Matthew C. Fair, senior manager, IS client server, Orlando Health, Orlando, Fla.;
- Charles Hahn, senior manager, technical server, Orlando Healthcare, Orlando, Fla.;
- Adnan E. Hamid, application/project manager, Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, Valencia, Calif.;
- Joe Lang, director, Baylor Health Care System, Dallas;
- Stephen Rheaume, senior manager, application server, Orlando Health, Orlando, Fla.
