AHIMA's online Education Web site is a "virtual" campus, which means there are no actual buildings or classrooms. All the programs and courses we offer online are self-paced. That means that all the readings and tests are available to the students for as long as they are enrolled, that students need very little interaction with instructors, and everyone can complete their work independently.

Our distance education courses offer the following benefits to members and nonmembers alike:

• Access your courses 24 hours a day from nearly any location
• Attend as many classes as you want, when you want
• Learn from industry experts, book authors, and professional trainers
• Obtain the most up-to-date information on healthcare information management
• Study at your own pace
• Reduce the overall time spent in training
• Increase your retention of vital concepts

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Is Online Learning for Me?

Many people, for many reasons, choose to study at home through independent, Internet-based programs. Most find that independent study is a flexible method of acquiring job knowledge and skills at their own pace, often while maintaining full-time jobs. Independent, Internet-based study may be a viable option for you if:

• You're not near a college with a coding program 
• You can't attend class for personal reasons 
• You prefer to study at your own pace

It takes self-discipline and commitment to study at home. In deciding if independent, Internet-based study is right for you, consider your ability to:

• Establish regular study habits
• Play an active role in your own education
• Work out most problems independently
• Don't need a great deal of instructor interaction
• Enjoy participating in online discussions.

Accreditation and Approvals 

Prior to starting a course or assessment on the AHIMA Online Education Campus, you must first submit your registration online. We accept major credit cards, checks, and company purchase orders.  

Registration Essentials

• Select a course or program
  Browse AHIMA’s online education offerings through our Online Education pages or through the AHIMA Store.
• Register online
  Register for your Distance Education courses or assessments online, by adding courses to your cart in the AHIMA Store
• Payment
  You can pay for online courses and assessments with credit card, check, or purchase order. See details below regarding checks and POs.
• Invoices
  If you need an invoice for your company to approve payment, simply register in the AHIMA Store and choose "check or purchase order" as your payment method. You will receive a pending invoice on-screen and in e-mail. Include that with your payment. If your company wants to pay for more than one individual at a time, each individual needs to register online separately – then the company should include copies of all student pending invoices, with payment.
• Starting your course or assessment
  You will be enrolled in your courses and assessments automatically, when your payment is processed. Login instructions are included in the e-mail we send you confirming payment. For courses that have prerequisites< (like Coding Basics and Cancer Registry Management), you will need to have your prerequisites approved and your courses activated, before you can begin. Instructions for prerequisite approval and course activation are found when you log in to the class, and also in the program-specific pages on this web site.

Payments by Check or Purchase Order

After course registration in the AHIMA Store, print out two copies of the receipt/invoice – keep one for your records and send a copy of the invoice with your check:

Need an INVOICE for your employer to APPROVE in advance?

Register online, selecting"Purchase Order" as your payment method. You will receive an on-screen receipt/invoice that you can print and a copy of the same information via e-mail.

Multiple registrants

If your company wants to pay for more than one individual at a time, each individual needs to register online separately – then the company should include copies of all student pending invoices, with payment.

NOTE: If you've chosen Check or Purchase Order and decide not to register after all–just don't send payment; there's no need to "cancel" your order.

Changes to Student Contact Info

If you previously registered and would like to update your AHIMA profile, click here to change your name, e-mail address, mailing addresses, and phone number(s). At the same time, call Customer Relations at (800) 335-5535 to notify us that you are making these changes; student records are maintained separately from AHIMA registration information.

Cancellations and Refunds

View the Policies page for AHIMA's policy on cancellations and refunds.

After registering, how do I start my courses on the AHIMA Distance Education Campus?

After registering, you'll receive an e-mail confirmation. We recommend strongly that you keep a copy of this e-mail for your records. This e-mail contains a link to specific instructions on how to get started with your course or courses.

Each course is made available to you depending on enrollment schedule and payment:

1. Most courses begin as soon as your registration and payment has been processed. Certain courses begin after course prerequisites have been verified and/or you choose to activate the course (this is true for most Coding Basics and Cancer Registry Management courses). For details, visit the description page for that particular course. 
2. Your payment must be fully processed (for example, credit card orders are processed immediately, but courses that are paid for by check or purchase order will not be available until payment has been received and cleared). 
   When your purchase order or check payment has been processed, you will receive another e-mail receipt.

Is my login the same for all my classes?

Yes, with some exceptions. Your ID and Password may be different for an "off-campus" site — some courses are hosted by universities that we partner with. Refer to the e-mail you receive after your registration is complete, for details. If you've just started a new course, it may take a few days to get your password for an "off-campus" site.

Do I get a certificate after completing a course?

For most courses, a certificate of completion is automatically presented after the student successfully completes the final exam. Coding Basics and Cancer Registry Management students receive their certificate of completion only after successfully completing all courses in the program.

How many Continuing Education Units (CEUs) do I receive after completing a course?

You can find information about the number of CEUs awarded for a particular course in its detailed description in theAHIMA Store.

Most individuals taking AHIMA's Anatomy and Physiology or Coding Basics courses—which have been approved by the American Council on Education (ACE) for a specific number of college credits—usually don't report CEUs. However, if a professional credentialed by AHIMA takes one of these courses, six (6)CEUs can be reported for each college credit assigned to that course by ACE.

No CEUs are awarded for exam preparation courses.

How long does it take to complete a course?

Completion times of self-paced courses will vary widely based on many factors, including reading speed, comprehension level, environmental distractions, etc. All courses must be completed within the time frame provided for course access. More information is available on completion estimates for each course in that course's detailed description in the AHIMA Store.

What if I do not pass the final exam/assessment?

If you are taking Anatomy and Physiology, Coding Basics or Cancer Registry Management courses, the graded tests and the Final Exam may be taken only once. If your points scored for all graded tests in that class do not total 70% of points possible (equivalent to a C or better), you will have to pay to retake the course again and start once more at the beginning.

Most of the courses that provide continuing education opportunities to HIM professionals are designed to allow students to take the final assessment at least twice.

I can login and click on the course folder, but when I go to the course, there's nothing there. What's going on?

If you can login but can't see your courses, the problem may be that your home page is set to a proprietary page like MSN or another page that uses frames. Pages like MSN and Hotmail are displayed in frames within your browser and this conflicts with our course software. To correct the problem, create a bookmark to your current homepage so you can access it when you need to (it will no longer be the first screen you see). Then go to Internet Options and set your Home Page default to something neutral (like www.google.com/ or www.ahima.org) or select the option BLANK.

Who do I contact if I have content or technical questions?

For further assistance please submit a customer support request. Several people check the messages we receive from the form each day, but only one person can access a question left in voicemail. The Course Support Form helps you to submit all the information needed to answer your question. If you send an e-mail instead of using the form, you may leave out information we need in order to help you.

I forgot my user name and password, what do I do?

Click here to request a login reminder. You will be able to retrieve your AHIMA Profile password through this link. However, if you have recently changed this AHIMA password, please note that your student password does not change unless you contact Distance Education directly. In this case, if you cannot remember the password associated with your Student Profile, please  submit a customer support request.

As a student, how do I update my address, my password or other information?

You can change the information tha AHIMA keeps for registration and membership through your profile in MyAHIMA. However, your Distance Education Student Profile is not synchronized with your AHIMA Profile, so when you change information through AHIMA it is NOT changed in your Student Profile (and vice-versa). For example, if you changed the password associated with your AHIMA Profile, it would not change the password you use to login to your courses. And if you change your e-mail address while registering for a course in the AHIMA Store, the e-mail address would not change in your Student Profile.

When updating information, we recommend that you update your profile by logging into MyAHIMA, and then submit a customer support request  to tell us what changes you made.

Enrollment Agreement

By registering for a course or program, a student agrees to all parts of the AHIMA Distance Education Enrollment Agreement. Please click here and view this agreement. We recommend printing a copy for your records. 

NOTE: For Alabama State University (ASU) and Tougaloo College courses, these policies DO NOT APPLY. AHIMA acts as registrar for these courses, but student support is managed by ASU and Tougaloo. ASU/Tougaloo do not grant course refunds or extensions for those courses.)

Extensions

You should maintain a regular study schedule to ensure you complete courses within the enrollment period. Extensions will be considered only for students with extraordinary and unforeseen circumstances, such as bereavement or medical emergency. All requests for extensions must be in writing, sent either by mail or e-mail.

Book Refund Policy

Click here to access the refund policy for textbooks purchased through AHIMA. If you purchase textbooks through another company, you must contact that company for their particular refund policies.

Buyer's Right to Cancel and Refund Policy

You may request withdrawal from a course/program prior to or during your enrollment and a refund will be granted according to the refund policy schedule below. We will send notification via e-mail that we have received your request. Cancellation is effective the date AHIMA receives the written request.

Enrollments cannot be transferred from one student to another.

Any refund due is based on the following refund policy schedule and is made within 30 days of cancellation.

(Please note: For Alabama State University (ASU) and Tougaloo College courses, these policies DO NOT APPLY. AHIMA acts as registrar for these courses, but student support is managed by ASU and Tougaloo. ASU/Tougaloo do not grant course refunds or extensions for those courses.) 

Academic Honesty and Integrity Policy

Academic honesty and integrity is the responsibility of each AHIMA student. Cheating in an academic program is cause for immediate termination from the program.

Acts of dishonorable conduct include, but are not limited to:

• Permitting another person to take a graded assessment for oneself
• Taking a graded assessment for another student
• Using unauthorized materials as aids in taking a graded assessment
• Collaborating during a graded assessment with any other person
• Falsified information—if information was intentionally falsified on your enrollment agreement, proctoring documents (if applicable), or any other AHIMA document

Academic Progress and Dismissal Policy

If a student fails a course, he/she may re-enroll in the course following normal registration procedures. If a student fails a single course three times, the student will be terminated from the program.

Payment and Access

We accept various forms of payment for our online programs and courses, including major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, and American Express), checks, and company purchase orders.

Full payment for your selected program or course must be received and verified before access to the online material is allowed. Online payment via credit card is verified immediately. After putting a check or purchase order in the mail, please allow at least 10 BUSINESS days for the payment to be received and processed. (You'll receive notice via e-mail as soon as your access to course material has been granted.)

NOTE: There may be other prerequisites that must be verified before you are given access; see descriptions of individual courses/programs for more detail.

Any check payments returned by your financial institution due to non-sufficient funds (NSF) will result in immediate disenrollment from the registered classes.

Because AHIMA is an association, not a school, we have not been assigned a "school ID number". Therefore, our training programs and courses (including Coding Basics) CANNOT be financed through any federal grant, loan, or veterans benefit programs (including guaranteed student loans offered through local banks).

Many employers provide tuition reimbursement programs through in-service grants, scholarships, and work-study programs. Check with your employer for details concerning financial assistance. Some employers require that a course or program be accredited. To see which of our programs are accredited, view the accreditation information on the overview page .

Community or civic groups may also sponsor scholarships, and can be found through local libraries and other organizations.

Career Counseling and Job Placement

AHIMA is an association, not a school, and we do not provide job placement services. Extensive information on career planning and certification is offered on the American Health Information Management Association web site at: www.ahima.org/careers and www.ahima.org/certification.

Special Needs and Disabilities

As a student enrolled in AHIMA Continuing Education courses or programs, you are required to complete reading assignments and submit tests online.

If you have a special need or disability and believe it may affect your ability to complete the assignments and exams, or you are concerned about your ability to obtain employment upon completion of the program, contact Distance Education before beginning your course, to discuss your concerns.

Reservation of Rights

Even after registrations have been accepted, AHIMA expressly reserves the right, upon written notice, to modify its prerequisite curriculum requirements, course contents (or sequencing), and application policies or requirements (including administrative fees, specific forms, or procedures).

Disclaimers

Click here to view the AHIMA Distance Education Disclaimer.

Privacy Policy

Click here to view the AHIMA Privacy Policy.

Complaints Policy

Click here to view the student academic or non-academic complaints policy.

Contact Information

AHIMA Distance Education, part of the association's Continuing Education department, is located at AHIMA's headquarters in Chicago:

AHIMA Distance Education
American Health Information Management Association
233 N. Michigan Ave., 21st Floor
Chicago, IL 60601-5519
Phone: (312) 233-1100
Fax: (312) 233-1090
Submit a customer support request.

System Requirements

To access the courses on the AHIMA Online Education Campus, here's what you need:

• An up-to-date web browser. We recommend Internet Explorer 7 or higher or Firefox 10 or higher.
• Your browser must be set to accept cookies. Pop-up blockers must be turned off. This includes turning off pop-up blockers in your web browser settings, and in any toolbars, like Google or Yahoo toolbar.
• Access to the Internet with a 56 K modem or faster without interference from a firewall.
• Some courses may require certain plug-ins in order to access course material, such as Adobe Reader or Flash Player.

Browser Requirements

Internet Explorer 7.0 or higher or Firefox 10.0 or higher. For Mac OS X 10 (or later) users, the recommended browser is Safari or Firefox 10.0 or higher. If you do not have an up-to-date browser installed on your computer, you may click one of the options below to download the free browser software:

Trouble Shooting

If you can login but can't see your courses, the problem may be that your home page is set to a proprietary page like MSN or another page that uses frames. Pages like MSN and Hotmail are displayed in frames within your browser and this conflicts with our course software. To correct the problem, create a bookmark to your current homepage so you can access it when you need to (it will no longer be the first screen you see). Then go to Internet Options and set your Home Page default to something neutral (like http://www.google.com/ or http://campus.ahima.org) or select the option BLANK. America Online (AOL) users should access the Internet through AOL, then use a separate browser to access the Distance Education Web site. To do this, simply minimize (do not close) your AOL software after you connect to the Internet, then open a separate browser.

Useful Plug-ins

Some AHIMA Online Education courses require plug-ins you may not have. For example, PDF files can only be opened using a plug-in like Adobe Reader. Download free plug-ins by clicking the images below

Firewalls

If your computer is located behind a company or personal firewall, you might not be able to access portions of the AHIMA Online Education Campus site.

A Firewall may prevent you from registering for a class on our site. If you already have an AHIMA account, your profile information is sent from our server to your computer during the online registration process — this is done so you don't have to retype all of your information. A firewall may block this data from reaching your computer.

Company firewalls sometimes won't let you log in to a secure server — which AHIMA Online Education Campus requires. If your company's firewall blocks cookies, you won't be able to enter the classrooms from your work computer. If your company firewall allows cookies but doesn't allow access to a secure server, you should be able to join the AHIMA Online Education Campus from a computer at home or any other location but still not be able to access the classrooms from work.

Check with your system administrator to find out what is and what is not blocked at your location.

Cookies

You must set your browser to accept browser cookies in order to access the AHIMA Online Education Campus member areas. For your convenience, we recommend that you turn off the cookie notification feature in your browser.

Why? Because cookies are used by the AHIMA Online Education Campus to handle your user ID and password information whenever you log into the site. Campus cookies are temporarily written to your computer's memory.

Some people refuse cookies in order to protect their privacy. However, the Campus does not use cookies to gather information on your web surfing habits, your interests, or to track down any other information without your knowledge or consent.

AHIMA is aware that privacy is an utmost concern for our students. We respect our members' privacy and do not give out any information without an individual's permission.

We use cookies to ensure the privacy of your account when you enter secure parts of our site. Cookies allow you to log in, participate in classes, and access chat areas. When you quit your browser, the cookie will be erased from memory unless you select the checkbox on the log in screen to save the cookie information on your hard drive. We recommend you turn off cookie notification. Otherwise, every time you try to access a page on the secure part of the server, an alert box will pop up.

To enable cookies in Firefox:

1. From the "Tools" menu, select "Options."
2. In the list along the top, click on "Privacy."
3. Under “History” select the “Remember history” option.
4. Click on "OK" to close the dialog box.

To enable cookies in Internet Explorer:

1. From the "Tools" menu, select "Internet Options."
2. In the dialog box, click on the tab labeled "Privacy"
3. In the "Settings" area, use the slider to select the “Medium” setting, or lower.
4. Or, click the "Advanced” button to allow first party cookies and third-party cookies, and always allow session cookies.
5. Click the "OK" button to close the "Internet Options" dialog box

JavaScript

JavaScript is often used to create interactive features on Web pages, control pop-up windows, and open other Web links. You can usually tell if a text link or active image uses JavaScript — roll your mouse over it and look for "javascript:;" in the status bar (lower left) of your browser. If you receive an error message or nothing happens when you click a javascript link, this could be a symptom of one of the following issues:

• The JavaScript engine is disabled.
• The JavaScript engine is not installed properly on your computer.
• The Zone files stored in the Temporary Internet Files folder are outdated.

To resolve this issue, Enable JavaScript

Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 or Later

• On the Tools menu, click Internet Options
• On the Security tab, click Internet
• Click Default Level, and then click OK

If the issue continues to occur:

• On the Tools menu, click Internet Options
• On the Security tab, click< Internet, and then click Custom Level
• Under Active scripting, click Enable or Prompt
• Click OK, and then click Yes
• Click OK

If the issue continues to occur:

• On the View menu, clickInternet Options
• Click the Security tab
• In the Zone box, click Internet Zone
• Click Custom (For Expert Users), and then click Settings.
• Under Active Scripting, click Enable or Prompt.
• Click OK, and then click OKagain.

Firefox

• Under the Tools menu, select Options
• Click the Content category
• Make sure that Enable Javascript is checked
• Click OK
  You may need to restart your browser to activate the change.

Reinstall the JavaScript Engine

To reinstall the JavaScript engine, download and install the latest version of Windows Script from the Microsoft Web site:

If the issue continues to occur, remove and reinstall your Web browser software, or obtain and install the latest version of your Web browser software. To obtain and install the latest version of Microsoft Internet Explorer or Firefox, see Browser Requirements above.