FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Welcome to the FAQs section for the Clinical Care Management Certification program. This area is provided to you as a source of information that may be more clarified, related to questions you may have in regards to our certification program. Information regarding recertification, as well as information about our online continuing education courses, is also provided. We highly recommend that you first thoroughly review all of the information on our website, under the main page for Clinical Care Management Certification. Access main page.
If after reviewing all of the provided information and this FAQs section, any other questions may be addressed by completing our request for information form online here. Thank you for your interest in our Clinical Care Management certification and education program.
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What is Certification?
Answer: Certification is a voluntary process provided by via an organization that through its qualified advisory boards develops comprehensive and quality standards for the practice of a type of specialty. The developed standards address high quality requirements for the practice of a certain specialty. The defined standards outline educational and/or practice requirements, any required prerequisites, and the need to adhere to a defined code of ethics for the practice specialty. Certification is different than any type of licensing. Certification is one means by which professionals may be publicly recognized as achieving a high level of education, knowledge base and practice skills for a certain healthcare related specialty. Certification also assists employer organizations and clients in their assessment of appropriate qualifications for candidates seeking positions in organizations and/or involved in private practices. It is commonly held that certification through an organization is fast becoming a “gold standard” for specialty practices. Certification testifies and provides a verification of defined educational requirements, adherence to a solid code of ethics, and in many instances prerequisites of practice experience for the practice in a variety of fields.
What Are the Criteria/standards I Will Need to Meet to Achieve Certification?
Answer: The educational criteria and standards are well and clearly defined within our website. Please access our main page to preview these requirements. Access here.
May I Apply for and Be Conferred Certification if I Have Been Practicing in the Area of Clinical Care Management Role or in a Private Consulting Practice With Out The Need to Meet the Educational Requirements?
Answer: No. The Board that oversees the development and approval of defined criteria and standards for certification will not consider any practice experience as meeting requirements in full. This decision was made as those who are already in a health care practices have varied and different experiences related to this specialty and there is no insured uniformity that all who have practiced this specialty have the same knowledge base and skills attainment. The evaluation of one’s past practice experiences in health care practices is highly variable and subjective. As such, the Board has developed objective criteria/standards for the conferral of certification. For these reasons, practice experience without the attainment of education will not be considered as fulfilling criteria and standards for our certification. AIHCP Education program: access link.
Over the Years, I Have Completed Many Seminars and Continuing Education Courses Related to Clinical Care Management. Will These Apply Toward the Education Requirements for Certification?
Answer: Please send in any transcript for review to determine if they can be utilized and an AIHCP course waived. You can contact us here.
What is the Major Practice Focus of a Certified Managed Health Care Consultant?
Answer: a Certified Clinical Care Manager, as defined by the American Institute of Health Care Professionals, Inc, is a licensed or certified health care professional who has achieved a high level of education, knowledge and skills in the following areas;
Health Care Quality Management Process and Improvements, Legal/Ethical Issues in Practice, Leadership and Population Health and Management.
In today’s very challenging health care world, the Clinical Care Manager is the epicenter of all patient care. Serving as the liaison for clients, providers, insurance and treatment systems, the Clinical Care Manager works to assure that clients have prompt access to medically appropriate levels of care and that there are opportunities in place that maximize rates of recovery.
Advocating for patients is at the core of the job. Clinical Care Managers partner with patients and their families to teach about medical diagnoses, treatment choices and resources. They determine the occurring patients care needs, establish and oversee an individualized plan of care, and follow progress throughout the continuum—from admission to discharge at home or in the community. In doing so, they reduce avoidable hospital readmissions, enhance compliance with treatment and ultimately drive better outcomes.
Clinical Care Managers work directly with patients as well as multidisciplinary teams of healthcare providers such as, physicians, nurses, therapists (physical and occupational), other clinical IT professionals and social workers including telephonic health coaches. They help providers communicate with each other to make sure that all aspects of a patient’s care are in synch and that transitions between different settings for care are successful.
Another important dimension of the position is quality and cost control. By mining data, identifying gaps in care and deploying evidence-based practices to increase efficiency while improving quality, clinical care managers can close the gap. They help health care organizations achieve performance targets, comply with regulations and satisfy accreditation criteria.
Todays clinical care managers are also focused on population health as many are working in outpatient clinics and medical practice centers in models of disease management, wellness and disease prevention. This expands their roles to include greater segments of the overall continuum of care. Clinical management is these types of settings is extremely important for improving patient quality outcomes and reducing overall health care costs.
At the end of the day, what does a Clinical Care Manager do? Through the application of clinical knowledge, caring and respect, as well as personal responsibility for coordination of care, these professionals have a profound positive impact on the lives they touch – bridging clinical quality with stellar patient experience while reducing costs to manage changing policy and cost containment demands.
Where Do Certified Managed Health Care Consultants Practice?
Answer: Certified Clinical Care Managers may be retained as contractors or employees in any health care organization that provides patient care.
What is the Process for Achieving This Certification?
Answer: There is a two-phase process. In order to provide clear and sufficient information on the process we have developed a separate page that defines the process. You may access this information on the certification process at this link: click here.
How Can I Submit an Application?
Answer: Making application is easy. We provide an online application form and a printable application form as well. Those wishing to make application can find these forms at this link. Please note that incomplete applications will not be reviewed. All applications that are submitted must include all required documents and verification as specified for review and consideration of certification conferral. Before making any application, you must meet the defined pre-requisites for a given program and have successfully completed the full continuing education curriculum, or a curriculum from a program that AIHCP, Inc. has officially approved.
After Certification is There a Recertification Process?
Answer: Yes. The American Institute of Health Care Professionals provides a full program for recertification. Detailed information on the criteria to be recertified, after the four-year initial certification period, is provided on our website. Access here.
I Am Currently Certified by the American Institute of Health Care Professionals in Clinical Care Management. I Know I Am Required to Achieve Additional Education in Order to Qualify for Recertification in the Future. Do You Offer Any Continuing Education Courses That I May Take to Meet My Recertification Requirements?
Answer: Yes, we offer recertification CE courses. You can view them all by category at the following link. Access here.
Do You Have Any Testimonials From Professionals Who Have Become Certified Through Your Programs?
Answer: Yes. We have a testimonials page on our website that you may view at the following link. Access Here.