PREDICTORS OF SUCCESS ON THE RHIA EXAM.

The ultimate goal for most health information management (HIM) program graduates is successful passage of the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) exam. As educators, it is our goal to successfully prepare our students for this endeavor. Past studies in this area have resulted in many recommendations for further research. The current study builds on this past research to provide further insight into predictors of graduate success on the RHIA exam. This study assessed variables impacting student success on the RHIA exam using data from students from one HIM academic program who graduated between 2014 and 2019. Variables included in the study were the dependent variable of the first-time RHIA exam score/pass or fail, and the independent variables of student mock exam score, time between graduation and examination, student self-report of English as a second language (ESL) status, introductory HIM course grade, introductory coding and intermediate coding course grades, overall GPA, and major GPA. The study found that introductory HIM course grade, mock exam score, and time between graduation and examination were significant predictive factors in HIM graduate success on the RHIA exam. The study also revealed some interesting findings regarding student ESL status and exam success that merit further study. The results of this study provide educators with further insight into predictors of student success on the RHIA exam, as well as provide information that can be used by educators to aid in student RHIA exam success.