CHFP
Certified Healthcare Financial Professional (CHFP)
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ExploreAbout this exam
The Certified Healthcare Financial Professional (CHFP) is the flagship certification offered by the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA). It signals that a holder has knowledge and expertise across four pillars: business acumen, collaboration, financial strategy, and understanding future trends. HFMA positions it for financial professionals, clinical and nonclinical leaders, and health plans - anyone whose job requires a deep understanding of the financial realities of health care. This page is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by HFMA.
There is no separate proctored exam to sit for. The credential is earned by completing two modules in a fixed order. First is HFMA Business of Health Care®, an online program covering risk mitigation, evolving payment models, healthcare accounting and cost analysis, strategic finance, and financial resource management; participants must finish the course and pass its end-of-course assessment before progressing. Second is the Operational Excellence Assessment module, which applies business acumen through exercises and case-based scenarios. Both modules are included in an HFMA all-access membership subscription, and enrollment happens through the CHFP package in the HFMA Learning Center catalog.
Preparation therefore means working through the module content sequentially, drilling the accounting, cost analysis, and payment-model material before attempting the first end-of-course assessment, and then practicing applied, scenario-style reasoning for the Operational Excellence module. Access is restricted to HFMA members; non-members cannot enroll.
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About CHFP preparation
Do I have to sit a standalone proctored exam to earn the CHFP?
No. The credential is earned by successfully completing two modules in order. The first, HFMA Business of Health Care®, requires you to finish the course and pass its end-of-course assessment before you can progress. The second, Operational Excellence, is assessed through exercises and case-based scenarios rather than a separate exam sitting.
Can non-members enroll in the CHFP program?
No. HFMA states that non-members are not eligible for this program. Members with Professional, Business Partner, Student, Faculty, or Enterprise memberships can enroll through their membership subscription. If you are not a member, you would need to join HFMA before you can access the CHFP package.
What does the program cost?
For members, pricing is listed as free, with both required modules included in the HFMA all-access membership subscription. The program is not available to non-members at any price. Your practical cost is therefore the membership itself, so compare membership tiers before enrolling.
In what order must I complete the two modules?
HFMA specifies a fixed sequence: HFMA Business of Health Care® first, then the Operational Excellence Assessment. You must complete the first course and pass its end-of-course assessment before progressing. Prerequisites for Operational Excellence are completion of that first module plus an active HFMA membership (student, business partner, or professional).
I am a student member - can I earn the designation now?
Paid student members may register for and take both modules, which are included with membership. However, the designation is awarded only once you assume Professional or Business Partner level member status. Completing the two modules as a student satisfies the requirements, but the credential itself follows your membership upgrade.
What topics should I study first to prepare?
Start with the content of the first module: risk mitigation, evolving payment models, healthcare accounting and cost analysis, strategic finance, and financial resource management. Those areas feed directly into its end-of-course assessment. Only after passing should you shift to applied, scenario-based practice for the Operational Excellence module.
What membership do I need to keep the credential once earned?
HFMA states that professional or business partner all-access membership is required to hold and maintain the CHFP credential. A student membership lets you complete the modules, but maintaining the designation depends on that professional or business partner all-access status, so plan for the ongoing membership commitment.
Where do I enroll, and can my organization buy access?
Enrollment runs through the CHFP package in the HFMA Learning Center catalog; the package includes both required modules and is available exclusively to HFMA members. Organizations or teams wanting to purchase HFMA Business of Health Care® should contact HFMA directly - the certification page lists a contact name and phone extension for organizational purchases.
What is the most common way candidates get stuck?
Sequence and access. Learners sometimes try to open Operational Excellence before finishing the first module and passing its end-of-course assessment, which the prerequisites block. Others enroll without confirming their membership tier, then discover that student status delays the actual designation until they move to Professional or Business Partner membership.