Certified Healthcare Financial Professional (CHFP) Information
If you are currently a CHFP candidate, please review
“Current CHFP Candidate Information”
NEW: Effective January 2011
The CHFP (Certified Healthcare Financial Professional) certification is designed for mid-level healthcare finance professionals who aspire to the executive level or desire confirmation of financial management expertise. Candidates should have a minimum of 3-5 years healthcare finance management experience.
The HFMA Board of Examiners has restructured the CHFP certification program. The changes take effect in January 2011. Under the new certification model:
- Candidates are required to successfully complete one comprehensive certification exam
- Candidates must hold a current and active HFMA membership
- Preparation materials will be available online and will be available for pre-order in the fall of 2010 (stay tuned for more information)
- Testing will be administered in testing centers located throughout the country
Current CHFP Candidate Information
Please note: The HFMA certification office recommends that all current CHFP candidates review the program change FAQ documentation.
HFMA Certification Exams and Applications
You must be a current HFMA member to take the certification exams. Once you have submitted an application, you must complete that exam by December 31, 2010 or you will forfeit the application fee. The new certification process takes effect January 2011. If you choose to continue the process in the 2010 calendar year, you must complete both the core and specialty examinations by December 31, 2010. See the program FAQs for more information.
Candidates must be familiar with and abide by the rules set forth in the CHFP Exam Candidate Handbook.
Preparing for the Exams
HFMA offers self-study guides that candidates can purchase to independently prepare for the certification exams. Self-study guides are available for each of the certification exams, and contain guided readings and review activities. Questions on the certification exams are based on the materials covered in these guides.
Hard copy self-study guides are only available through September 1, 2010. Electronic study guides for the new certification program will be available in the fall of 2010. Learn more about purchasing the self-study guides.
Some HFMA chapters offer exam preparation assistance, including chapter-sponsored coaching courses. For more information, find your local chapter.
Scheduling Your Exam Date and Proctor
Under the current certification model, HFMA certification exams are administered via the Internet and must be proctored by an approved HFMA certified member. It is the candidate’s responsibility to identify a proctor and to set a time mutually agreeable to the candidate and proctor to take the exam. You will be asked to identify both your proctor and the exam time on your exam application. Get more information on certification exam dates and proctors.
Once you have identified your proctor and exam time, submit a completed Certification Exam Application at least 10 business days before your scheduled exam time (allow 20 business days if you plan to pay by check).
Applying for CHFP Certification
After you have met the requirements for CHFP certification, and within 12 months of successfully completing your two required exams, submit your application for CHFP certification with a one-time only, $75 processing fee (HFMA will return the fee if the application is not accepted; otherwise, the fee is non-refundable).
Applications for HFMA CHFP Certification must be notarized. Please download the application form, complete it, have it notarized, and submit it with payment to the address indicated at the end of the form.
HFMA will process CHFP applications within 60 to 90 days after receipt. If the application is incomplete or requires additional review, HFMA will contact the candidate.
Certificates for members achieving CHFP status are given to Chapter Presidents for presentation and are not mailed directly to the candidate. The name on the certificate is the name in the candidate's HFMA member profile. The candidate is responsible for ensuring accuracy of information in their HFMA member profile.
For more information about the HFMA Certification Program, send an e-mail to certification@hfma.org or call 1-800-252-4362 and ask for Certification.
Important Changes to the CHFP Certification Program
As a member of HFMA, we wanted to ensure that you are among the first to hear about changes and improvements to HFMA’s CHFP certification program effective January, 2011.
In an effort to ensure HFMA meets the needs of currently certified members or those considering certification, and to increase CHFP’s recognition in the industry, an extensive field study was conducted. The findings of the study indicated that members were seeking financial management education that is comprehensive, cross-functional, and integrated. Also, that the certification program should provide easier access to both preparation materials and examinations. HFMA’s Board of Examiners employed these findings as the guiding principals in restructuring the program.
Effective January 2011, the certification requirements are as follows:
- Successful completion of one comprehensive certification examination designed for mid-level healthcare finance professionals (currently two examinations are required)
- Current HFMA membership (currently a minimum of 2 years of membership is required)
- Study/preparation materials available online (currently available in hard copy only)
We are certain that these changes will provide candidates fewer barriers and a more seamless process in their path to certification. For more information download the FAQ document and visit CHFP online for more updates as they become available.
For those members who are currently certified, please note that there are no changes to the certification maintenance plan.
Interested in becoming certified?
Email the certification office with your name, phone number, and email (please confirm the best email address to reach you regarding this matter). We’ll contact you in January to answer your questions or guide you through the registration process.
