Certified Medical Manager (CMM) Certification
The most credible medical management skill tests have been created and maintained by PAHCOM. The Certified Medical Manager (CMM) examination is nationally recognized as the symbol of excellence in health care medical practice management across the country. The examination evaluates the candidate’s knowledge of 18 areas of medical practice administration. From the strict and rigid financial management to the touchy, feely human resources management the PAHCOM CMM examination is your best bet for evaluating the competence of an individual to excel in the business of health care practice administration.
Download CMM Application Form
PAHCOM Annual Salary Survey hits the stands!
Are you being paid consistent with regional, specialty, and position averages? How about your staff? Where do we fit in and how can we improve? Does education or certification really matter? For the answers to all these questions and more, see the hot off the presses May/June issue of the Journal of Medical Practice Management for survey highlights and get the complete survey report right here:
PAHCOM Annual Salary Survey
The Pursuit of Excellence
PAHCOM recognized the ever increasing need for a program that would provide recognition to individual office managers having knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to successfully manage today's ever-changing medical practices. As a result, the Certified Medical Manager (CMM) program was established. Today it is nationally recognized as the standard of excellence in physician office management.
"Thank you for the opportunity to become a CMM. I am so happy to have passed the exam; what a wonderful challenge! I learned so many things that I did not know and I refreshed in my mind on so many things that I did know and had forgotten or took for granted. I was surprised at how much I knew. Every day we work with all the issues addressed and think nothing of it, until we are questioned and then we try to second guess ourselves. I am so happy to belong to PAHCOM and now to be a Certified Medical Manager."- Liz Schultz, CMM, Lehigh Valley
"PAHCOM makes a difference! I just got promoted to a larger facility, thanks in part to my certification! I can't thank you enough for all you've done to promote the professionalism of being a health care office manager!"- Lisa Kodya, CMM, Port St. Lucie, FL
Certification
Becoming a Certified Medical Manager means that you have...
- Completed the process of certification, including submitting an application and passing a written examination that qualifies both your experience and knowledge within the ambulatory health care delivery environment.
- Made a commitment to the pursuit of excellence in health care office management through continual education and association within the profession of health care office management.
- Pledged to uphold the set of standards established by the PAHCOM Professional Code of Ethics.
Advantages of Certification For the Professional Health Care Office Manager
Attaining the status of CMM will document that you possess medical management skills that distinguishes you as a professional. In pledging to uphold the PAHCOM professional Code of Ethics, you will continually improve your knowledge and skills and maintain high standards of competency, honesty, and integrity.
For the Physician/Practice Owner
The employment of a CMM ensures the physician/practice owner that the individual has achieved a high level of competency in physician practice management.
Experience: A minimum of three years experience in the health care field.
Education: Twelve credit hours in courses pertinent to healthcare or business management. The educational credit requirement is reduced by one hour for each year experience above the three year minimum.
Membership: Be a PAHCOM member in good standing. (Continuous membership must be maintained for recertification.)
Exam Preparation
The most important element in ensuring success on the certification exam is knowledge gained through day-to-day experience as a medical office manager. The examination is designed to test everyday practical knowledge. It has very few theoretical or "out of the norm" questions. The PAHCOM Management Manuals (three manuals) are the reference texts for much of the examination. They are designed to be used as daily reference manuals in the management of a practice, however, they are also helpful in preparing for the CMM exam. The purchase of any or all of the manuals is not a requirement. Also available for purchase is the CMM self-study guide which contains information condensed from the PAHCOM Manuals. It is a pretty good quick-study guide for those individuals that prefer to have that extra level of confidence.
The Written Examination
Once your application has been approved by the national office, you will be scheduled to take the 3-hour written examination. You must sit for the examination within one year following the date of application approval. Examinations are administered at each annual PAHCOM conference, and at several Chapter Proctored locations and at many PAHCOM-approved testing centers across the country. Check www.act.org/actcenters/locate/index.html for the location nearest to you. Current Chapter Proctored Location: Greater Orlando Chapter
The written examination consists of 200 multiple choice questions covering the following areas of medical practice management:
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"In this world of increasingly complex medical practices, clinic managers must be continually upgraded and educated in their knowledge of personnel, administration, CPT coding and compliance concerns and, most particularly, continual expense control. An organization like PAHCOM provides an outstanding forum for managers to meet and share knowledge and concerns of medical practices. Participation of managers in an organization like PAHCOM is an absolute MUST!"-James E. Hammond, CHBC, CPA, Healthcare Management Consultants, Inc.
Retention of certification requires CMMs to obtain 24 hours of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) every two years and submit documentation to PAHCOM along with the processing fee. Continuous PAHCOM membership is required. Click here for a list of educational programs currently pre-approved for PAHCOM CEUs.
CEU credit is authorized for most educational sessions, seminars, courses, etc. providing training/information relevant to duties as an office manager. The sessions are not required to be pre-approved by PAHCOM at this time, but information must be relevant, and the presenter recognized as qualified and credible. Self study courses, except those specifically approved in advance by PAHCOM, are not authorized for CEU credit. If you have a question about a particular session, or about the recertification process in general, call the national office at 800-451-9311
Submit CEUs Within Two Months of Recertification Date
When you have collected the 24 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for your next recertification, wait until you are within two months of your recertification date to submit your package to the national office. Submitting early will not change your recertification date. Extra CEUs (over and above the required 24) do not count towards recertification, and will not change your recertification date. Your recertification date will always remain the same, either April 1 or October 1 every two years.
