Membership Criteria

Primary  |  Membership for CIOs, CMIOs & CNIOs

Membership for Corporate Senior IT/IS Executives (non-CIOs)  |  Affiliate Program Criteria

General:

Membership in CHIME is targeted for those principally in charge of Information Systems/Services in the healthcare community. While those who qualify will generally be the CIO (the highest ranking executive responsible for information technology), those in charge of IS for major divisions and/or regions of large corporate or integrated delivery systems will also be considered for membership.

The healthcare community will include delivery systems, payer/insurance organizations, and other healthcare-related organizations. Because of the rapidly changing healthcare landscape, these criteria serve as primary guidelines, which may evolve as industry and IS strategies change.

Employment Criteria:

1. Health Services Delivery Organization(s)
• Hospital/Acute Care
• Medical Groups (e.g., PPOs, Group Practices)
• Long Term/Extended Care
• Home Health Care/Hospice/Long-term Care
• Public Health Care Agencies (providing direct care services)
2. Healthcare Payer/Insurance Organizations
   • Insurance
   • HMO
3. Organizations related to healthcare IT but whose primary business does not include selling memberships, or selling hardware, software, or IT services to healthcare CIOS. Such organizations could include radiology groups, RHIOs, state or federal government agencies, disease management companies, etc.

Job Responsibilities:

1. Highest ranking IS executive OR
2. Regional, market area, or facility level IS executive
      This person will normally be responsible for overall service delivery and budget accountability OR
3. Contract CIOs (employed by consulting or vendor firms)
   • If the IS function of a health services delivery organization or a payer organization is outsourced, and there is no CIO employed by the organization itself, then that outsourced CIO (the consulting or vendor firm employee) is eligible for membership. In this case, the outsourced CIO must be working full time as the CIO at the healthcare or payer organization.
   • If the IS function of a health services organization or payer organization is outsourced, but there is still a CIO employed at the organization, that organizational CIO is the person qualified for membership (not the person employed by the consulting or vendor firm). Highest ranking IS executive OR
4. IS executives who are not corporate CIOs but who have regional or facility-level CIOs reporting directly to them OR
5. Corporate Senior IT Executives. Applicants who do not meet criteria 1-3 above may also be qualified to join. If the corporate Senior IT Executives are assessed to have a sufficient level of authority in their organization (using a point-based criteria), they are entitled to full membership in CHIME. To download a copy of the Corporate IT Executive application, please click here.

Reporting Relationship:

Generally reports to CEO, COO, CFO, or CIO of the delivery system.

Scope of Responsibility:

1. Has overall IS responsibility. Additional duties may include telecommunications, medical records, management engineering, etc.
2. Leads the IS strategy for the organization, as evidenced by reporting relationship and committee involvement.
3. Has a significant IS organization, including multiple business/clinical applications and complex technical environments.

Termination/Status Change:

1. Change of Employment
   1. If at the time of renewal, the member has changed jobs and no longer meets our membership criteria, the membership will be terminated. For members who have not changed jobs but do not meet our current criteria, CHIME will continue to renew their memberships as an act of good will because they met the membership criteria when they joined.
   2. If the new employer is a vendor or consulting firm, and the member meets the membership criteria, the member will be allowed continued membership. However, the member will not be allowed to serve on CHIME Board of Trustees.
   3. If a member’s organization is merged/integrated/consolidated, and the member retains or increases responsibilities consistent with the membership criteria, the member will retain membership status. Otherwise, the member will be allowed to complete their current year of membership only.
2. Change to Unemployment/Retirement
   Member will be allowed to continue their current year plus one year of membership.
3. Non-payment of Dues
   Membership will be terminated if dues are not paid on an annual basis.

Last updated September, 2005