Who Cares if You’re Certified

A growing number of companies in the US are recognizing the link between certified professionals and quality documentation outcomes. Many are now seeking, reimbursing, and compensating the credential in the marketplace. If you know of, work for, or are an employer who recognizes the credential in a measurable way, please let us know so that we can acknowledge your company in our publications as well as on this page. Send your information to Kristin Wall at kwall@ahdionline.org.

New Recredentialing Resources

AHDI has recently updated our Recredentialing Resource Guide for Certified Medical Transcriptionists (CMTs). Knowing what content qualifies—or doesn’t qualify—for continuing education credit is important information to have when choosing sources to invest your time and/or money in to apply toward recertification. The resource guide provides multiple avenues of full CEC requirements, convenient preapproved resources and supplemental details, and a handy checklist for making good choices for continuing education. CMTs can find full details about recredentialing by logging in to www.ahdionline.org and clicking the “Certification” tab and then “CMT Only.”

Credentialing Conundrum

Credentialing isn’t an easy decision. It’s important to know the facts, not only about how to become credentialed, what’s covered on the exams, what resources are available, and how to maintain your credential, but also knowing if credentialing is right for you. Our March 2011 issue of Plexus, which was published just after we launched the new RMT and CMT exam blueprints and launched our current RMT and CMT exams, is full of information, resources, and testimonials surrounding credentialing. Read, do research, speak to fellow healthcare documentation specialists, but above all, decide if becoming a credentialed professional fits with your purpose and goals. Eligible members can log in to view this issue of Plexus, and others, in the online archive.

Get the FAQs on the RMT/CMT Credentialing Changes!

Did you hear that AHDI’s credentialing exams are being rebranded? Find out complete information and answers to your questions on our Credentialing Frequently Asked Questions web page. There you’ll find answers to such questions as: What will happen to the RMT and CMT credentials? How do I make the move to become a Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist (RHDS) or Certified Healthcare Documentation Specialist (CHDS)? Can I keep my transcription-specific credential? What will recredentialing involve? How do I recredential?

Save on Credentialing Prep Products

RMT Study Bundle—Save 10%, includes:

• RMT Exam Guide—A structured approach to understanding the multiple-choice domains for the exam.
  
  
• RMT Exam Audio Objectives—A guide for understanding the blue print audio objectives.

RMT Study Course—Save 20%

• This 12-week study course includes weekly reading assignments and quizzes.

CMT Study Bundle—Save 10%, includes:

• CMT Exam Guide—A structured approach to understanding the multiple-choice domains for the exam.
  
  
• CMT Exam Audio Objectives—A guide for understanding the blue print audio objectives.

CMT Study Course—Save 20%

• This 12-week study course includes weekly reading assignments and weekly quizzes as well as focus on practicing critical thinking and accuracy, as well as applied transcription and editing skills.

 

Buy RMT Study Bundle

Buy RMT Study Course

Buy CMT Study Bundle

Buy CMT Study Course

Your Favorite Things of 2012

In January we asked what your favorite things of 2012 were. Find out what your fellow colleagues liked the most in 2012!

Favorite product… Medical Transcription Tools CEC Bundle! This new power-pack of creditworthy information in the category of MTT is the perfect solution for someone looking for CECs for recredentialing. Coming in a close second was the new CMT Exam Audio Objectives CD, perfect for those studying for their CMT exam.

Favorite issue of Plexus… "Public Speaking, The Art of Communication," July. This issue of Plexus focuses on the difference communication can make, even something as simple as giving thanks and how it's important to make sure we are present in the conversations we have. AHDI members: log in and catch up on how to communicate better!

Favorite webinar content… Preparing for the Future! Everyone wants to know what the future has in store, and though we don't have a crystal ball at our disposal, we have incorporated a new feature in Resource Central called "Future Watch" that will give you an insight as to what lies ahead and will provide information on future-focused webinars, articles, and other websites with similar discussions.

Favorite AHDI Member Benefit… Tied for your favorite benefit are Plexus magazine and Networking through AHDI alliances and components. These are both great benefits that we are proud to share with our members. Don't forget, AHDI members can access archives of Plexus magazine by logging into the website and going to Member Center > My Benefits > Publications. And you can join one of our Special Interest Alliances online or find a component in your area!

October Deal of the Month

Fall is here and the changing of the leaves isn't the only thing you have to look forward to—we're opening this month up to multiple ways to save!

Studying for your RMT? Take advantage of one of these great package deals!

RMT Study Bundle—28% off regular full price
The perfect package for the aspiring RMT, this package includes the RMT Exam Guide and RMT Audio CD.

RMT Exam Bundle—28% off regular full price
The ultimate package deal for the RMT-in-training, this bundle includes the RMT Exam Guide, the RMT Audio CD, and the Book of Style Workbook.

Already an RMT looking to take the next step? Prepare for your CMT with one of these great opportunities!

CMT Study Bundle—28% off regular full price
The perfect duo for the future CMT, this bundle includes the CMT Exam Guide and CMT Audio CD.

CMT Exam Bundle—28% off regular full price
The package you've been waiting for! For the first time ever, we are offering a bundle of the CMT Exam Guide, CMT Audio CD, and Book of Style Workbook.

Did You Know?

All membership categories receive a discount for taking the credentialing exam. If you are not credentialed this is the best time to take the first step and register for an eligibility ID.

June Deal of the Month

Schedule Your Exam and Get Individual Professional Membership for only $99!

We want to reward you for taking the next step and scheduling your exam, with one of our best deals ever! That's right, schedule your exam through Kryterion in June and we will email you a coupon, good from July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2013, permitting new Individual Professional membership or Individual Professional membership renewal for only $99.

Exam must be scheduled by June 30, 2012, to be eligible. Coupon is not good prior to July 1, 2012, and expires on July 31, 2013. Membership offer is not available prior to signing up for the exam. $99 membership offer void if exam is cancelled.

Let Us Help You Succeed!

Persist, persevere, and apply patience to your goals!

Summer is just around the bend, so it's time to reassess your credentialing goals and earn your credential! Visit www.ahdionline.org/succeed and learn how to identify the next steps on your journey and how to carry them out through the three P's—persistence, perseverance, and patience.

Did You Know?

All membership categories receive a discount for taking the credentialing exam. If you are not credentialed this is the best time to take the first step and register for an eligibility ID.

RMT Study Group Available

Developed by the New Professionals Alliance, the RMT Study Group Course is a 12-week guided course and low-cost option to enhance your preparation for the AHDI credentialing exam. Find out more or sign up for the RMT Study Group today!

Congratulations, New RMTs and CMTs!

Use AHDI's Credentialed Professionals Directory to see our latest credentialed and recredentialed RMTs and CMTs. This directory is searchable by first or last name, credential type, state, country, and certification completion and expiration dates. The directory can also be used for verifying the credentialed status of a potential RMT or CMT employee or looking for an RMT or CMT colleague.

Renaming the Credential Survey

The AHDI Credentialing Development Team (CDT) is the governing body responsible for policy development and oversight of all AHDI credentialing programs. The CDT operates independently of the National Leadership Board.

In response to the recent rebranding of the medical transcription practitioner to Healthcare Documentation Specialist (HDS), the CDT is exploring new names for the credentials Certified Medical Transcriptionist and Registered Medical Transcriptionist. We are seeking your input on the renaming of the credential.

Jay Vance recently wrote, "One of the driving motivations behind AHDI's move to "rebrand" medical transcriptionists as Healthcare Documentation Specialists is the critical need to remind the broader medical field that our practitioners are indeed an important part of the overall healthcare documentation process." To this end, it is important that our credential names indicate the level of expertise reflected in the attainment of each credential, and in a broader sense, convey the specialized knowledge and expertise required for the accurate capture of each patient's Health Story. In addition, the credential names should encompass traditional and emerging roles, including transcriptionists, quality assurance specialists, speech recognition editors, team leaders, analysts, encoders, abstractors, trainers, and educators.

When evaluating your responses, please consider the following descriptions:

• The RMT exam is designed to assess competency in medical transcription by determining if a candidate has the core knowledge and skills needed to practice medical transcription effectively in today's healthcare environment.
• The CMT exam is designed to assess competency in medical transcription by determining if a candidate has the core knowledge and skills needed to practice medical transcription effectively in a multispecialty acute-care facility, where variable specialties, document types, and difficulty of dictation necessitate an advanced level of clinical knowledge and interpretive ability.

You may also want to refer to AHDI's Model Job Descriptions.

Take the survey now. Survey will be open April 17 through May 1.

January Deals of the Month

There's just a couple more weeks to take advantage of this month's deals:

RMT Exam Bundle

CQE Exam Bundle

Visit our home page for full details!

Credentialing Exam Practice Test Survey

AHDI's Credentialing Development Team would like to explore the possibility of developing CMT and RMT practice tests. These tests would be offered online and would be based on the CMT and RMT exam blue prints. Click here to take this short survey.

Unique RMT & CMT Logo Items!

Check out the wide array of unique and personal RMT and CMT-themed logo items in the AHDI Marketplace! The Marketplace is AHDI's one-stop shop for fun ways to recognize and celebrate being credentialed. You'll find everything from porcelain mugs and shopping bags to pajamas and T-shirts! These also make excellent gifts for your credentialed coworkers, employees, and friends. Visit the Marketplace today!

Credentialing Practice Test Now Available!

For those seeking to become credentialed as a Registered Medical Transcriptionist (RMT) or Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT), AHDI has launched a credentialing practice test to help candidates become familiar with the testing process. This 15-question practice test is designed to give you an opportunity to acclimate to the Kryterion Websentinel testing platform and the user interface you will be using when you take your full exam. We encourage you to take your time, become familiar with the audio player and the functions for increasing http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifvolume and rewinding the audio file, and filling in the blanks on transcription and SRT editing questions. This practice test provides a mix of level 1 and level 2 content questions and is not designed to be diagnostic of potential exam performance nor should it be used to evaluate exam readiness with content or exam objectives. This test will not be scored, but you will receive feedback at the end as to your correct and incorrect answers. You will have 45 minutes to complete this 15-question practice test. There is a $12 fee to take the practice test.

For more information about credentialing, click here.

NOTE: Prior to taking the practice test, candidates must first apply for exam eligibility and pay the eligibility fee.

Survey for RMTs

For those who currently hold the RMT credential, are you thinking about taking the CMT exam? Please answer this two-question survey to let us know where you stand.

Two-question survey

Power Up! CQE Prep Workshop at ACE 2011

Featured Workshop:

Power Up! CQE Prep Workshop
Friday, August 19, 2011
3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Presenter: Lea Sims, CMT, AHDI-F

What is the CQE? If you are an acute-care MT with more than 2 years’ experience and a desire to sit for the CMT exam, changes in credentialing policy now require you to demonstrate RMT (level 1) competency before moving on to the level 2 CMT exam content. To make this easier for CMT candidates, we are offering a fast track exam option that will allow candidates to sit for both the RMT and CMT exams in a single exam session—the Credential Qualifying Exam (CQE). With new exam blue prints and exam prep materials available for public consumption and candidate preparation, we are pleased to announce a new workshop available at ACE 2011 in Phoenix.

This two-hour interactive workshop is designed to walk CQE candidates through both exam blue prints, take the fear out of exam preparation, and give candidates an organizational approach to studying both the RMT and CMT exams. Workshop attendees will receive tips, strategies, and practice exercises that will give you a better understanding of what to expect on AHDI credentialing exams. In addition, all attendees will receive a "Power Pack" resource kit, filled with exam prep items from either of the two workshop bundle options below. Choose from one of the following:

CQE Workshop Package 1—The Basic Power Pack includes:

• CQE Prep Workshop – Friday, August 19
• RMT Exam Guide
• CMT Exam Guide
• Book of Style Workbook
  
Total = $90 on or before August 1 and $135 after August 1

CQE Workshop Package 2—The Complete Power Pack includes:

• CQE Prep Workshop – Friday, August 19
• RMT Exam Guide
• CMT Exam Guide
• Book of Style Workbook
• CMT Prep CD I
• CMT Prep CD II
• CMT Prep CD III
  
Total = $150 on or before August 1 and $225 after August 1

Don’t miss this phenomenal opportunity for resources and hands-on exam guidance and support. For anyone serious about becoming credentialed, this workshop is a "must see" session at ACE. After the workshop, stop by the AHDI Pavilion to have your products signed by the authors and chat about testing. This workshop is a separately ticketed item not included with Full Registration.

Register Online

Register before the early-bird deadline (June 20, 2011) to secure the lowest registration rate available!

View the Interactive Schedule

Visit ACE365—Your ACE 2011 Headquarters