FARMINGTON — Ralph Johnson, chief information officer at Franklin Community Health Network, has achieved professional certification from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives. He is the first health system CIO in Maine to earn the designation.

A Certified Healthcare CIO represents achievement of the highest standard of professional development for health care CIOs. The certification program launched by CHIME is the only credentialing program that distinguishes health care IT executives from others in the industry.

To become certified, Johnson passed a rigorous 125-question examination and met specific professional qualifications, including 25 Continuing Education Units and at least three years of experience as a CIO. CHCIOs must also be committed to recertification every three years.

Johnson has worked at Franklin Community Health Network since 2006. During his tenure, IT has been a priority at FCHN. In the past year alone, all Franklin Health medical practices and the hospital emergency department converted from paper medical records to electronic medical records that provide instant and complete patient information to consulting health care providers, improving patient care.