HFMA Adds Digital Credentialing to Certification and Certificate Programs

The Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) is enhancing its prestigious suite of healthcare financial credentials with the introduction of digital badges. These web-enabled, shareable and verifiable versions of professional development accomplishments contain information describing the credential or certification earned. A digital badge is an icon linked to a web page that not only details the knowledge, skills and requirements behind the credential but also verifies the authenticity and date of the accomplishment.

HFMA has partnered with the digital credential leader Credly to provide this service through its Acclaim platform. The system seamlessly integrates into social media: Earners may display the badge as a symbol of achievement in email signatures, electronic resumes and social media profiles to be recognized for attaining a new level of proficiency or specific skill set. For managers, Credly’s digital credential platform provides the ability to track engagement and glean insights into where and how employees make use of their certifications.

Digital badges will be available for all of HFMA’s current certificate and certification programs, including Certified Revenue Cycle Representative (CRCR), Certified Healthcare Financial Professional (CHFP) and HFMA’s Business of Health Care^®.

“HFMA is pleased to provide healthcare professionals with a more contemporary approach to credentialing,” said HFMA President and CEO Joseph J. Fifer, FHFMA, CPA. “Digital credentialing will make it easier for HFMA certificate earners to demonstrate the value of their credential and for organizational leaders to manage employee engagement.”

Credly’s digital credentialing platform helps transform knowledge, skills, and abilities into actionable growth and a broader, verified network.

“Professionals derive a multitude of benefits from association membership,” said Jonathan Finkelstein, CEO of Credly. “By issuing its certifications as digital credentials through Credly, HFMA is providing its certificate earners and partner organizations with global verification and seamless validation of in-demand skills in a way that signals an ongoing commitment to relevance in the modern world of work.”

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of HFMA’s Certified Healthcare Financial Professional (CHFP) program. The CHFP, which once had a traditional focus on finance and accounting, is now geared toward finance professionals, clinical and nonclinical leaders, and health plans—all those whose roles require a deep understanding of the new financial realities of health care. HFMA education programs continue to evolve in both curriculum and benefits for both organizational clients and individual certificants.

About HFMA
With more than 42,000 members, the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) is the nation’s premier membership organization for healthcare finance leaders. HFMA builds and supports coalitions with other healthcare associations and industry groups to achieve consensus on solutions for the challenges the U.S. healthcare system faces today. Working with a broad cross-section of stakeholders, HFMA identifies gaps throughout the healthcare delivery system and bridges them through the establishment and sharing of knowledge and best practices. We help healthcare stakeholders achieve optimal results by creating and providing education, analysis, and practical tools and solutions. Our mission is to lead the financial management of health care.

About Credly
Credly is helping the world speak a common language about people’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. Thousands of employers, training organizations, associations, certification programs and workforce development initiatives use Credly to help individuals translate their learning experiences into professional opportunities using trusted, portable, digital credentials. Credly empowers organizations to attract, engage, develop, and retain talent with enterprise-class tools that generate data-driven insights to address skills gaps and highlight opportunities through an unmatched global network of credential issuers. Unleash the workforce.