Eligibility for Applying to The CHCIO Program

To apply for The CHCIO Program, applicants must:

  • Be a CHIME member or CHIME Affiliate Program participant
  • Possess a minimum of a baccalaureate degree

Program Requirements for CHCIO Candidates

CHIME members must fulfill the following within a 24-month period to become a CHCIO:

  • Submit completed application, including payment of $125
  • Successfully pass The Certified Healthcare CIO Examination
  • Have a minimum of 3 Years* Professional Experience as a CIO or equivalent**  3 years cumulative CIO experience in the past 6 years
  • Complete 25 qualifying Continuing Education Units (CEUs). CHIME accepts CEUs retroactively up to 12 months prior to the date that the candidate passes the CHCIO Exam. At least 50 percent of the 25 CEUs must come from CHIME related activities.
  • Attest to uphold the CHCIO Professional Standards of Conduct

* CHIME Affiliate Program participants and CHIME members who do not meet the three years professional experience as a CIO or equivalent will become CHCIO-Eligible.

** Equivalent experience: To be eligible for CHCIO status, candidates do not have to hold the job title of Chief Information Officer. If the position has roles and responsibilities that are equivalent in nature to that of a CIO, then he/she meets this requirement. Typically, CHIME members are the highest-ranking IT executives at their facility. In addition, CHIME members who qualified for membership as Corporate IT Executives also meet this requirement.

CHCIO and CHCIO-Eligible Maintenance Requirements

To maintain/renew your CHCIO or CHCIO-Eligible status:

  • Recertify every 3 years
  • Submit renewal/maintenance fee of $199
  • Complete 45 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) with a minimum of 10 per year, of which 50 percent must be CHIME activities**+
  • Adhere to the CHCIO Professional Standards of Conduct

Update CHCIO Credential Maintenance/Renewal Requirements Model

CHCIOs CAN retain the CHCIO credential should they leave they leave the CIO role and thus under current credentialing requirements, not be able to retain their CHIME membership. To keep their CHCIO credential current, they would need to earn required 45 CEUs. The requirement that half of the CEUs need to be from CHIME activities would be waived.

A CHCIO-eligible certificant would not retain their eligibility status. However, if a CHCIO-eligible leaves the CHIME organization (as a member or affiliate program participant) and rejoins within 12 months – they would be granted a grace period and not need to retake the exam and thus retain their CHCIO-eligible status. (The CHCIO-eligible would need to meet CEU requirement)

** If you have completed at least 80 percent of your CEUs within 3 years, you may apply for a six-month extension to complete the remaining credits.

+In lieu of completing CEUs, CHCIOs may retake The CHCIO Examination.