Certified Healthcare Project Leader (CHPL)™

The Certified Healthcare Project Leader (CHPL) certification is a distinguished credential tailored for professionals responsible for leading and executing projects in clinical, operational, administrative, and digital health environments. As the healthcare industry faces rapid innovation, increased regulation, and complex cross-functional challenges, effective project leadership is critical to delivering strategic objectives on time, within scope, and with measurable impact. The CHPL program empowers participants with the practical tools, leadership mindset, and healthcare-specific project management skills needed to drive transformational initiatives across diverse healthcare settings.

Unlike general project management roles, healthcare project leadership requires deep contextual knowledge—balancing stakeholder alignment, clinical constraints, compliance requirements, and dynamic care delivery systems. The CHPL certification combines globally accepted project management principles with real-world healthcare applications, preparing professionals to lead cross-disciplinary teams, manage risk, and ensure alignment with organizational goals and patient-centered outcomes.

Certification Program Objectives:

Upon completing the Certified Healthcare Project Leader (CHPL) program, participants will be able to:

  • Plan and Execute Healthcare Projects Successfully: Apply project management frameworks (e.g., PMBOK, Agile) tailored to healthcare environments.
  • Lead Multidisciplinary Teams in Clinical and Administrative Projects: Facilitate collaboration across clinicians, IT teams, administrators, and vendors.
  • Manage Healthcare-Specific Risks and Constraints: Navigate compliance, patient safety, quality measures, and regulatory standards during project execution.
  • Align Projects with Strategic and Operational Goals: Ensure projects support organizational priorities such as digital transformation, quality improvement, or care integration.
  • Monitor Performance and Measure Impact: Track KPIs, manage budgets and timelines, and evaluate outcomes for continuous improvement.
  • Communicate with Stakeholders and Senior Leadership: Build influence and trust through transparent reporting, adaptive planning, and change leadership.

Certification Eligibility Criteria:

To apply for certification from The American Institute of Business and Management (AIBM) and its allied institutions, candidates must meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • A Bachelor’s degree from a recognized institution

And/or

  • 2 to 5 years of relevant work experience in the related professional field.

Note: Applicants who do not hold a Bachelor’s degree but possess exceptional professional experience and hold significant positions within their organizations in a relevant field may also be considered for certification on a case-by-case basis, subject to the approval of the AIBM evaluation committee.

Certifying Examination:

  • To be certified as CHPL, student should take up a 1.5 hours online exam conducted by AIIHM.
  • The qualifying exam would consist of 50 multiple choice questions, testing core certification modules.
  • Professionals with relevant experience and other qualifying criteria may be exempted from the examination.

Certification Modules:

  • Module 1: Project Management Fundamentals for Healthcare
  • Module 2: Planning and Scope Definition in Healthcare Projects
  • Module 3: Stakeholder Engagement and Interdisciplinary Leadership
  • Module 4: Risk Management, Compliance, and Regulatory Considerations
  • Module 5: Budgeting, Resource Allocation, and Performance Monitoring
  • Module 6: Communication, Change Management, and Project Evaluation

* The Certification Title and its modules are regularly reviewed, updated and may change in alignment with evolving industry needs and regulatory standards.

Who Should Do This Certification:

The CHPL certification is ideal for professionals managing strategic, operational, or clinical projects in healthcare environments. It is especially relevant for:

  • Healthcare Project Managers and Coordinators: Professionals overseeing EHR implementations, process redesign, infrastructure upgrades, or clinical innovation projects.
  • Hospital and Clinic Administrators: Leaders managing cross-functional improvement projects in patient flow, quality, compliance, or service expansion.
  • Public Health and Community Health Program Managers: Professionals delivering grant-funded or public-private partnership programs requiring strong project execution.
  • Digital Health and IT Project Leads: Managers rolling out telehealth platforms, interoperability solutions, or digital transformation initiatives.
  • Nursing Leaders and Unit-Based Project Champions: Clinicians managing unit-level QI or patient safety initiatives aligned with strategic priorities.
  • Consultants and Healthcare Advisors: Professionals supporting health systems in executing strategic or operational projects across departments.
  • Early-Career Professionals and Clinical Leaders Transitioning into Management: Individuals seeking to enhance their leadership potential and formalize their project delivery skills.

Whether you’re driving clinical improvement, implementing new technology, or managing strategic change, the CHPL certification validates your ability to lead healthcare projects that deliver measurable, sustainable results.