About the AHIOS Institute

The AHIOS Institute provides education, training and certification in the handling of patients’ personal health information. The AHIOS Institute’s CRIS (Certified Release of Information Specialist) program is a rigorous exam that tests an individual’s knowledge about how to protect the confidentiality of patients’ personal health information when that information is released to requestors.

Why Certification is Important

Because ROI is so complicated – and the liability threats so significant – the majority of healthcare providers outsource this necessary function to ensure they have access to staff with quality control, technology and healthcare expertise. The written exam includes a broad range of questions, covering the contents of a medical record to the components of a valid authorization for a record’s release. The largest section of the exam asks test takers what they would do when presented with a wide variety of hypothetical situations – for example, a sheriff asking for a patients medical records as part of a criminal investigation.

CRIS – Certified Release of Information Specialist

The AHIOS Certified Release of Information Specialist (CRIS) is a credential for health information (HI) and release of information (ROI) professionals supporting US-based healthcare systems. This credential provides validation the release of information professional can:

1. Interpret and explain key provisions of HIPAA, including the Privacy Rule, Security Rule and permitted uses and disclosures, and evaluate how these requirements guide compliant release‑of‑information practices.
2. Analyze and differentiate between various types of medical information requests, and determine the correct release procedures based on requestor type, authorization requirements and regulatory obligations.
3. Apply patient privacy principles to real‑world scenarios by identifying appropriate safeguards, recognizing potential breaches and demonstrating correct decision‑making aligned with organizational and legal standards.
4. Describe the structure, purpose and key components of medical records and health information systems, demonstrating foundational knowledge required for accurate and compliant information management.

The CRIS is a multiple-choice test with 100 questions. To pass, you must receive a score of 80% or higher the first time. If you need to retake the test, you must score 90% or higher on any subsequent attempts. You must wait at least 30 days between test attempts.

Recipients who pass the CRIS can list CRIS next to their names.

For more information on the CRIS, please reach out the AHIOS Education Committee at education@ahios.org.