Denton, Texas – PACS Administrators Registry and Certification Association (PARCA) announced today that it will introduce a new certification level in 2012 as part of a revitalization process for certification levels for professional PACS administrators.
The new, and highest level of certification will be Certified Healthcare Enterprise Architect (CHEA), which will replace the Certified PACS System Manager (CPSM) examination. With the expansion of enterprise solutions and the integration of diagnostic imaging informatics into the core Enterprise Medical Record, the PARCA Board of Directors recognized a need to acknowledge the unique skill-set required to implement, manage, and maintain healthcare enterprise solutions.
Details of the new certification are being ratified by the PARCA board, however, the initial definition will include five core competencies:
- EHR/PHR functionality.
- EHR architecture.
- Standards - DICOM, HL7, document standards (CCD, CCR), integration standards (IHE) and coding standards
- Implementation preparation.
- Implementation - Project management, staging, testing, and implementation phases.
The new certification levels will be:
i. Certified PACS Associate (CPAS), the basic level of certification which requires the completion of a Clinical and Technical component
Advanced levels of certification:
ii. Certified PACS Interface Analyst (CPIA)
iii. Certified PACS System Analyst (CPSA)
iv. Certified Healthcare Enterprise Architect (CHEA)
The key dates for the release of the CHEA certification are:
• March, 2012
o Requirements will be published
• Summer 2012
o Certification will be available on-line
About PARCA
PARCA was formed in December 2004 by a group of PACS educators and users. In January 2009 PARCA was reconstituted as a multi-national non-profit accreditation organization with a Board of Directors representing Australia, Canada, Singapore and the United States. It was the first body to offer certification of imaging informatics professionals and continues to provide certification globally utilizing PARCA's on-line testing facilities.
Since inception in 2005, PARCA has grown steadily with consistent growth over the last 2 years in most certification levels. A combined 1634 examinations have been passed by PARCA members with 772 certificates being awarded:
| PARCA Certification | Certification Awarded |
| CPAS (combined clinical and technical): | 598 |
| CPIA: | 68 |
|
CPSA: |
97 |
|
CPSM: |
9 |
The certification offered by PARCA is completely web-based allowing for a global approach to certification.
Learn how a PARCA certification can enhance your professional standing. Visit www.pacsadmin.org to learn more about PARCA and the requirements for each level of certification and examination details. PARCA's Executive Secretary can be contacted at tammy@pacsadmin.org.
For additional details contact:
Tammy Grazer, executive secretary
Phone: 940-365-3083
Email: tammy@pacsadmin
