CHIME Conducts First CHCIO Exam Completely in German
6.13.2018
By Ashley Jester – Director, Professional Development
On May 16, eight German students sat for CHIME’s very first fully German translated certification exam following an intense two-day training. This was the first introduction of the CHIME Certified Healthcare CIO (CHCIO) Program in Germany at the Hospital Management and Digital Transformation Congressional event and in partnership with VuiG and AuiG Academy. All eight students mastered the program preparation course, underwent 2 ½ hours of testing, and walked away becoming CHCIO certified!
“The CHCIO Program of CHIME, AuiG Academy and VuiG is an excellent differentiator for leaders in health IT,” said Stanislaw Wieser, senior vice president and CIO at the Hospital & Senior Home Group St. Augustinus, a VuiG board member and one of the eight to earn a CHCIO title. “AuiG and VuiG did a brilliant job in the localization of the CHCIO program for the German-speaking communities – literature, references and language. That said, the preparation course and the test were very difficult. Having passed the test successfully makes me feel proud. The CHCIO from CHIME and AuiG Academy will move my career to the next level.”
The German language CHCIO was made possible through a partnership between CHIME and AuiG. ”One of the best parts of the partnership between VuiG, AuiG Academy and CHIME is that we have the same mindset,” said Dr. Pierre-Michael Meier, president and CEO ENTSCHEIDERFABRIK, CEO AuiG Academy and executive vice president and CFO of VuiG. AuiG, which stands for Akademie für Unternehmensführung und IT-Service Management in der Gesundheitswirtschaft, is VuiG’s educational arm. Meier collaborated with CHIME to design the preparatory course and market the program.
Prof. Dr. Gregor Hülsken, professor of Business and Medical Informatics at FOM University of Applied Sciences, CEO AuiG Academy and a board member of VuiG, Prof. Dr. Björn Maier, professor of Business Administration and Healthcare Management at DHBW Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, president and CEO DVKC (German Association of Hospital Controlling) and a board member of VuiG, and Meier led a team that interpreted and integrated the fundamental factors of CHCIO in their teaching and also translated and regionalized the entire process and examination into the German healthcare market. Hülsken noted that today’s digital health executive must have a global perspective of information management and a broad understanding of many other disciplines to be effective.
“It is precisely these competences that are necessary to carry out and control the digital transformation in healthcare facilities,” Maier added. The CHCIO assesses expertise as well knowledge gained from practical experience, he said, making it a “a valuable career building block.” He suggested that the German-language exam serves as a model that could be applied in the countries represented through AuiG – Austria, Belgium, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Switzerland – and beyond.
With the successful launch of the exam, CHIME and AuiG expect to enter a second phase of collaboration in October. The new partnership expands CHIME’s handprint in the German-speaking countries and allows for further engagements, bringing CHIME’s high standards for professional education and development to more health IT executives.
“This credential is a testament to the individual’s commitment to the industry, our profession and most importantly, the patients we serve,” Meier said. “Not only do we give the highest degree of commendation to the individuals who earn and maintain the CHCIO status, but we strongly encourage everyone in the industry eligible for the honor to pursue it.”