NEED ADVICE ON PREPARING RHIA EXAM

Thank you so much for response!!! These are the books I am using: PRG 2009, JB review 2010,as well. I hope for the best, will keep you posted :)

Happy in Saint Paul, Minnesota said: Pardon my typos!

Congratulations to you! It is an amazing score!!! I wish you all the best of luck in your carrier!!!

I passed the exam in Dec and I made 390 out of 400. I also used the JB Review, 2010 PRG, the Review book put out by AHIMA and the Latour Book. I had a classmate who passed the exam today, who made 367 and she used these same review material. The JB Review has a good basic review and some questions. Chapter 14 in the newest Latour book is a good review for Reimburement, or also there is a good chapter in the Johns book. We also reviewed the coding rules.

cp122578 in Meridian, Mississippi said: I passed the exam in Dec and I made 390 out of 400. I also used the JB Review, 2010 PRG, the Review book put out by AHIMA and the Latour Book. I had a classmate who passed the exam today, who made 367 and she used these same review material. The JB Review has a good basic review and some questions. Chapter 14 in the newest Latour book is a good review for Reimburement, or also there is a good chapter in the Johns book. We also reviewed the coding rules.

WOW! I am truly amazed by your high scores!!!
Thank you for advice, I am getting very overwhelmed and scared...thank you again!!!!

I see you have two of the best review guides, but I would also suggest making sure you review the coding rules and reimbursement chapters for more information than what is in these guides. I also used a couple of the Practice Guidelines on AHIMA's website (the ones on HIPAA, Privacy, and Security). You can find them on the home page of the AHIMA Website by using the drop-down menu right under the log space on the right hand side. The pull a lot of information together for you, which is easier than trying to pull it out of the text books.

cp122578 in Meridian, Mississippi said: I see you have two of the best review guides, but I would also suggest making sure you review the coding rules and reimbursement chapters for more information than what is in these guides. I also used a couple of the Practice Guidelines on AHIMA's website (the ones on HIPAA, Privacy, and Security). You can find them on the home page of the AHIMA Website by using the drop-down menu right under the log space on the right hand side. The pull a lot of information together for you, which is easier than trying to pull it out of the text books.

Great! I could use any advice now, and for sure will look into that. I really appreciate your posts...thank you!!!!

Few more days for me, and I was there a lot of coding questions, and are the codes needed to code provided on the screen or paper?? thanks

The codes are listed just like the examples in the PRG and the AHIMA book.

cp122578 in Meridian, Mississippi said: The codes are listed just like the examples in the PRG and the AHIMA book.

THANK YOU!

I am sorry for asking so many questions...as I have two days left before the exam, I was wondering if they provide you with the formulas for death rate etc calculations. Or did you guys remember all of the formulas?? Were there many calculations on the exam?
thanks!

The formulas for the statistic questions are given. When you first start you are given about 10 minutes to get familar with the way the test is presented. There is a button that you can click that will display the formulas. While you are going through the part to familarize yourself with the way you move through the test, be sure to click on everything to see how it works. I even tried out the calculator to see if the parantheses worked, since is not a scientific calculator.

Now breath! It is not as hard as you think it is going to be! Best thing you can do now since you are this close is to develop a strategy for dealing with questions that just do look familar, managing you time, etc. I think 10 to 15 percent is having a good strategy. I finished with over an hour left and went back to the ones I marked that I was not sure about. When I went back, I was calmer, and some of the answers just jumped out at me the second time around.

cp122578 in Meridian, Mississippi said: The formulas for the statistic questions are given. When you first start you are given about 10 minutes to get familar with the way the test is presented. There is a button that you can click that will display the formulas. While you are going through the part to familarize yourself with the way you move through the test, be sure to click on everything to see how it works. I even tried out the calculator to see if the parantheses worked, since is not a scientific calculator.

Now breath! It is not as hard as you think it is going to be! Best thing you can do now since you are this close is to develop a strategy for dealing with questions that just do look familar, managing you time, etc. I think 10 to 15 percent is having a good strategy. I finished with over an hour left and went back to the ones I marked that I was not sure about. When I went back, I was calmer, and some of the answers just jumped out at me the second time around.

You are wonderful for responding to me. I guess I am panicking a bit now, but your response already made me calmer :) thank you so much!!!!!

I fully understand the panic, but if I can do anything, I hope it is keep you from having that awful feeling. I have really bad test anxiety, so I got to the testing center about 30 minutes. I I thought I was going to be sick, so I sat outside and called someone who I knew would take my mind off the test because she always has the best gossip (lol). Once inside, I used the noise cancelling headphones the center provided, which I think really helped me zone out the proctor walking around, bending down looking under the tables, the other people coming in and out, etc.

cp122578 in Meridian, Mississippi said: I fully understand the panic, but if I can do anything, I hope it is keep you from having that awful feeling. I have really bad test anxiety, so I got to the testing center about 30 minutes. I I thought I was going to be sick, so I sat outside and called someone who I knew would take my mind off the test because she always has the best gossip (lol). Once inside, I used the noise cancelling headphones the center provided, which I think really helped me zone out the proctor walking around, bending down looking under the tables, the other people coming in and out, etc.

I will take all of the those tips with me, going tomorrow...
For sure will let you know how it went.
Do you think it is a good idea to review two RHIA exams from JB review and PRG book (360 questions) tonight?
thanks!

I took the exam, but did not pass. I got 284 :( I studied from PRG 2009 and JB Review guide, but the test was difficult, and almost none of the material that i studied was on the exam. Does anymore have a better source to recommend that i could use to study some more..??

In addition to what you used, I also used the AHIMA Review Guide for the RHIA and the Latour Book. I also suggest getting a study group together. You can even get people who are not in your area by using ether Skype voice conferencing or Yahoo messenger voice conferencing. My study group focused on the management and IT sections because they have the most points. If you can get those two areas down, then you just need to a few points from the other sections from the other sections. How did you do in these areas? Also, how is your math skills?

Is Latour book very different from PRG 2009??

Latour is the text book from AHIMA that is for the RHIA program

Sherry in Memphis, Tennessee said: No Sophia, don't give up! I just took the RHIA exam today and barely passed with a score of 311 (passing score 300 out of 400). It is a killer exam...this was my second time taking it since 1994. I had actually retired my credentials and was just doing medical transcriptionist full-time from home and decided now I want to go back to work in my field since my kids are in high school. I will never do that again. LOL! However, I used the JB Review Guide and Mo-Metrix.com flash cards and guides...and with all of that it was STILL a lot I didn't know but I just used common sense. I am just glad it is over. But PLEASE GET YOUR CREDENTIALS BECAUSE YOU ARE INVISIBLE TO THE HIM PROFESSION WITHOUT THEM. Now, that I have my credentials my friends (colleagues) who have been active in the field are already networking to find me a job. Your credentials are crucial to your success. I know this is a late post but I hope it helps.

Sherry - I was glad to read your post....I am very much in the same position that you were in. I graduated in 1990 and passed the RRA exam. When I had children, I left the workforce to be a stay-at-home mom and let my credentials go. Now that my children are getting older I am interested in reinstating my credentials. It has been so long since I was in school that I know the entire contents of the program have changed. Did you only use JB Review Guide and Mo- flash cards or did you purchase some of the textbooks used now as well? Also, how did you prep for the coding questions? (I used to be a coding supervisor but doubt that I would remember any coding rules.)
Do you know of anyone who has done the AHIMA HIMA Exam Prep series on-line? AHIMA couldn't give me any statistics on people who used their on-line program and the pass rate of the exam for those people.
Thanks for any information!

Hi all,

Thank you everyone for posting all of your helpful tips about the test. I will be taking it on the 20th, and I really appreciate every word you guys have posted. :)

One more question to those who have taken the test: when you finish a domain, does it let you go back to other domains? Like, when you're all done, could you go back to triple-check answers?

Thanks a bunch in advance!! :) Kelly

Kelly in Toledo, Ohio said: Hi all,

Thank you everyone for posting all of your helpful tips about the test. I will be taking it on the 20th, and I really appreciate every word you guys have posted. :)

One more question to those who have taken the test: when you finish a domain, does it let you go back to other domains? Like, when you're all done, could you go back to triple-check answers?

Thanks a bunch in advance!! :) Kelly

Kelly,
The test is not divided by domains, all the domain questions are intermingled in the test. I am still trying to figure out what questions went into which domains. However, you can mark a question and go back to it when you finish. When you first come it, there is a time period to get familiar with how the test work. Just make sure to practice marking and going back to the questions and you will be fine. Cathy P

That's great to know! I appreciate the heads up! :)

Have a wonderful weekend! :)

I graduated from an HIM program in 2003. I know it's silly, but I want to take my RHIA test early 2011. Which books or study material would be good as a refresher.

AHIMA now has a review guide for the exam. Also, the other good books are the Professional Review Guide for RHIA, and the JB Review Guide for the RHIA. AHIMA's book and the PRG have practice questions. The JB Review guide is a review of some (most) of the information and some questions. I also recommend the RHIA text book from AHIMA. It is written by Latour-(forget the other name). You can find it on the AHIMA website. I used the practice brief off AHIMA's website to review the HIPAA, ROI, and some of the legal terms.

Thank you for the helpful information!

celia lam in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania said: Hi Sophia,

I just received my test results and PASSED. And I took Joyce's advise and got my a hold of the 2009 PRG CD. I did not purchase the book but was able to get the CD online. The CD was all I used. And I passed!!! Thus, I feel you shouldn't give up. Just use the CD. I feel like those questions will prepare u for the exam. They are similar but yet much more diffcult. However, If you can grasp the questions on the CD you should be fine. Good Luck!

I need more details on that exam can you mail me at sadhoo@aol.com

Has anyone taken this exam as of late?? I will sit for the exam in about a month and im studying from the ahima rhia prep book. Im completing all the exams and reviewing them everyday. If anyone can (2010)guide me in the right direction i would greatly appreciate it a lot. Im starting to panic!!! Thanks a bunch!

gmedina80@hotmail.com

Hi! I am studying for the exam, but the information is overwhelming. Does anyone have a review material (not the review guide book) that I can study before trying the review guide book?
my email is: ha_lt05@yahoo.com

I graduated in May 2011 and I am scared to death to take this test. I have no idea how to study to much information that I just want to cry.

I graduated in 2006 and am studying for the RHIA exam and will take it in May. My HIM Director/advisor from college recommended the PRG and the JB Comprehensive Review Guide for HI: RHIA and RHIT Exam Prep.

I graduated in 2006 recently took the exam and failed. I am scheduled to take the exam again in 2 months and would appreciate any feedback on which books would better help me pass this exam. I have been studying from the AHIMA book for this exam since last August, failed and picked up again with the PRG 2011 book. I am exhausted from studying the wrong material and in serious need of help. Does anybody have any info to share????

Alicia in Tampa, Florida said: I graduated in 2006 and am studying for the RHIA exam and will take it in May. My HIM Director /advisor from college recommended the PRG and the JB Comprehensive Review Guide for HI: RHIA and RHIT Exam Prep.

I passed it using the JB review guide. Never have used the PRG so I cant say how well that works. Good Luck. Also, I used flash cards by a company called Metrometrix (I think). Really helped out with the statistics part.

peggy in West Orange, New Jersey said: I graduated in 2006 recently took the exam and failed. I am scheduled to take the exam again in 2 months and would appreciate any feedback on which books would better help me pass this exam. I have been studying from the AHIMA book for this exam since last August, failed and picked up again with the PRG 2011 book. I am exhausted from studying the wrong material and in serious need of help. Does anybody have any info to share????

Definitely JB review guide (2010 or 2011) Also google "flash cards for RHIA prep". I think I used some from a company called Metrometrix. I loaned all my stuff out so I can't quite remember. Just make sure you are putting in at least 2 hours of study time. Its a huge sacrifice. I am preparing to take the CCS exam this month and I practically eat and breathe the content. In the end its worth. Best of luck in August. You can do it!!!

Sherry RHIA in Memphis, Tennessee said: Definitely JB review guide (2010 or 2011) Also google "flash cards for RHIA prep". I think I used some from a company called Metrometrix. I loaned all my stuff out so I can't quite remember. Just make sure you are putting in at least 2 hours of study time. Its a huge sacrifice. I am preparing to take the CCS exam this month and I practically eat and breathe the content. In the end its worth. Best of luck in August. You can do it!!!

Thanks so much. I really appreciate this info. Do you know where i can buy the latest or 2011 version for the JB book. Both Amazon and Ebay only have the 2008 version. Seems a bit too old to use as study guide.

peggy in West Orange, New Jersey said: Thanks so much. I really appreciate this info. Do you know where i can buy the latest or 2011 version for the JB book. Both Amazon and Ebay only have the 2008 version. Seems a bit too old to use as study guide.

The book I got is actually from 2009. The information has not changed that much really.

Sherry RHIA in Memphis, Tennessee said: The book I got is actually from 2009. The information has not changed that much really.

thanks.

LC in Richmond, Virginia said: Sherry - I was glad to read your post....I am very much in the same position that you were in. I graduated in 1990 and passed the RRA exam. When I had children , I left the workforce to be a stay-at-home mom and let my credentials go. Now that my children are getting older I am interested in reinstating my credentials. It has been so long since I was in school that I know the entire contents of the program have changed. Did you only use JB Review Guide and Mo- flash cards or did you purchase some of the textbooks used now as well? Also, how did you prep for the coding questions? (I used to be a coding supervisor but doubt that I would remember any coding rules.)
Do you know of anyone who has done the AHIMA HIMA Exam Prep series on-line? AHIMA couldn't give me any statistics on people who used their on-line program and the pass rate of the exam for those people.
Thanks for any information!

I'm in the same boat. I graduated in 1983, passed the test. In 1998, I went into pharmaceutical sales and then in 2001 quit to stay home with my kids. Now they are all grown and I want my credentials back so I can get a good job. Do you know of anyone who has used RHIA exam guide secrets from Mometrix?

Hi everyone! I just passed my RHIA exam today and I used the professional review guide 2011. I'm so happy that I don't have to sit in the testing room for another
4 hours ever! The exam is very much similar to the PRG book.

Good luck!

Wow, congratulations! I know you are glad it is over!!!

Wow congrats! I know you are glad to have that behind you!

Trang in Renton, Washington said: Hi everyone! I just passed my RHIA exam today and I used the professional review guide 2011. I'm so happy that I don't have to sit in the testing room for another
4 hours ever! The exam is very much similar to the PRG book.

Good luck!

Congratulations! Welcome to the AHIMA family!!!

Sherry RHIA in Memphis, Tennessee said: I passed it using the JB review guide. Never have used the PRG so I cant say how well that works. Good Luck. Also, I used flash cards by a company called Metrometrix (I think). Really helped out with the statistics part.

Thanx! NEVER used the PRG and passed? That's very impressive. When did you take the exam? I've been lead to believe that the test is very similar to the PRG. However, I have noticed that the questions on the Mock Exam on the PRG disk is redundant so I'm wondering if this format is just being used to get you comfortable with the RHIA exam format. What is your take on the source that is most like the exam?

I have since gotten the flashcards and they are an excellent tool to assist with reinforcing what you already know.

Trang in Renton, Washington said: Hi everyone! I just passed my RHIA exam today and I used the professional review guide 2011. I'm so happy that I don't have to sit in the testing room for another
4 hours ever! The exam is very much similar to the PRG book.

Good luck!

CONGRATULATIONS! Thanx for the update. Good luck in the field.

Just wondered how long everyone studied before they felt prepared to sit for the exam? Sounds like the PRG and the JB are very thorough; however, I have been out of the field for a very long time and am interested in reinstating my credentials so have no idea whether I should plan to study for 6 months, one year, etc.

Thanks for any information!

Hello,

I wanted to know if you went through the whole book of the JB review guide or did you listen to the CD. Also was the PRG that helpful. I am taking this exam for the second time after coming up short by one point.

cp122578 in Meridian, Mississippi said: I don't know if any of you are still studying for the exam, but I just passed with a 390 out of 400 score. I did not get the J B Review until about a month before I took the exam, and I wish I had gotten it sooner. I recommend that book and the PRG. I am not to keen on the Shaw book. I have it, but I don't think it was a helpful as the others. The JB review is a review of the subjects, and it also has some tests, but it is not just test like the others. If you just use the PRG, pay attention to all of the available answers (the detractors) because even though there might not be a question on each of them in the PRG, you may see them on the real test.

I guess I don't know what you mean by "just" passing if you got a 390 out of 400??Especially for just studying 1 month prior to the exam. I would think that was a good score. I haven't taken the test since 1983 and I have been "out of the field for about 10 plus years". How long after you sign up or apply for the test do you take it? I'm not sure if I should apply to take it first or study first then apply to take it. I just have the PRG 2012 ed that I just got. Do you feel that both PRG AND JB review are necessary?

Wanted to get some opinions. I just completed my AS in HIM, going for my Bachelors in HIM. Is it worth getting the RHIT if I know in 2 years I will be sitting for the RHIA?