Welcome to the official MedicoExam syllabus guide for the AHIMA Certified Health Data Analyst certification. This page delivers a clear, structured overview of the AHIMA CHDA exam, including key exam details, syllabus topics, and preparation references to support effective study planning. The AHIMA Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA) is intended for professionals pursuing roles aligned with Health Data Analytics, with assessment centered on applied competencies such as data acquisition and analysis, data interpretation and reporting, data governance within real-world settings like hospitals and health systems, payer or managed care organizations, health information and analytics departments.
The syllabus outline below reflects the core domains and expectations defined by the official AHIMA certification framework and aligns with the cognitive and professional standards assessed in the AHIMA CHDA exam. Candidates can use this guide alongside official vendor resources and structured practice to align their preparation with current exam standards and professional expectations for health data analyst, healthcare data analyst, health information and related roles
AHIMA CHDA Exam Summary and Key Details
| Exam Name | AHIMA Certified Health Data Analyst |
| Credential | AHIMA Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA) |
| Vendor | American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) |
| Exam Code | CHDA » AHIMA CHDA Certification Practice Exam |
| Exam Delivery Mode | computer-based at Pearson VUE test center; OnVUE remote online proctoring available for U.S.-located CHDA candidates |
| Exam Duration | 210 mins |
| Number of Questions | 142 (121 Scored Items / 21 Pretest Items) |
| Passing Score | 300 (on a scale of 100-400) |
| Exam Price |
AHIMA members - $259 (USD) AHIMA non-members - $329 (USD) |
| Scheduling Window | 120 days |
| Schedule Exam | Pearson VUE |
| Trainings/Resources | CHDA Exam Preparation, 3rd Edition |
| Sample Questions | AHIMA CHDA Exam Sample Questions |
| Recommended Practice | AHIMA CHDA Certification Practice Exam |
AHIMA CHDA Exam Syllabus Topics and Weighting
| Topic Areas | Topic Details, Courses, Books | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Foundational Knowledge of Analytics in Healthcare |
- Understand the healthcare delivery system - Differentiate commonly used healthcare datasets and quality measures - Apply knowledge of healthcare classification systems, terminologies, and ontologies (e.g., ICD/PCS, CPT, SNOMED, LOINC, RxNorm, etc.) - Describe the revenue cycle management process - Differentiate accreditation agencies and regulatory reporting requirements - Demonstrate basic understanding of epidemiology and health equity - Describe the relationships between electronic health records (EHR), informatics and healthcare data - Understand the levels of analysis (descriptive, predictive, prescriptive, and diagnostic) - Differentiate applications of artificial intelligence in healthcare |
14-16% |
| Business Needs Assessment |
- Apply project management principles as related to data analytics - Understand the stakeholders and determine their needs - Identify the goal of the data request - Identify and evaluate relevant metrics for business needs - Create an analysis plan (i.e., data parameters, data sources, metrics definition, documentation of specifications, etc.) |
11-15% |
| Data Acquisition |
- Identify sources and lineage of target data elements - Differentiate between data collection methods - Extract data - Evaluate data quality - Cleanse acquired data - Transform the data (e.g., data aggregation, data mapping, etc.) - Validate transformed data |
14-18% |
| Data Analysis |
- Query data - Determine and explain analytical approach - Apply analytical methodologies - Identify trends, patterns, and anomalies in data - Understand how benchmarking and risk adjustment are performed on data |
22-25% |
| Data Interpretation and Reporting |
- Interpret results and identify key findings - Explain assumptions and limitations - Create optimal data visualizations for stakeholders (e.g., charts, graphs, dashboards, business intelligence tools, etc.) - Communicate findings to stakeholders |
18-22% |
| Data Governance |
- Understand the development, implementation, and evaluation cycle of policies for access, ownership, integrity, or usage of data - Differentiate between database designs - Identify key health data laws and regulations (e.g., HIPAA) in the context of data access and analysis - Understand the necessity of audit logs or controls of analyses and data submission |
8-10% |
The AHIMA CHDA certification exam is designed to assess both theoretical knowledge and applied professional judgment in Health Data Analytics. The exam evaluates competencies such as data acquisition and analysis, data interpretation and reporting, data governance, ensuring candidates are prepared for real-world responsibilities as health data analyst, healthcare data analyst, health information and related roles working in settings such as hospitals and health systems, payer or managed care organizations, health information and analytics departments.
To prepare effectively for the AHIMA Certified Health Data Analyst exam, candidates are encouraged to review official vendor materials, complete structured practice assessments, and gain hands-on experience relevant to their professional role.
