Does Administering a Comprehensive Examination Affect Pass Rates on the Registered Health Information Administrator Certification Examination?

The purpose of this research study was to determine whether the administration of a comprehensive examination before graduation increases the percentage of students passing the Registered Health Information Administrator certification examination. A t test for independent means yielded a statistically significant difference between the Registered Health Information Administrator certification examination pass rates of health information administration programs that administer a comprehensive examination and programs that do not administer a comprehensive examination. Programs with a high certification examination pass rate do not require a comprehensive examination when compared with those programs with a lower pass rate. It is concluded that health information administration faculty at the local level should perform program self-analysis to improve student progress toward achievement of learning outcomes and entry-level competencies.