On Thursday, the Health IT Policy Committee's certification and adoption work group recommended that multiple organizations be allowed to provide "HHS certification" for electronic health record systems, Health Data Management reports.
To receive HHS certification, EHR systems must meet a minimum set of functional criteria and achieve the "meaningful use" objectives of the federal economic stimulus package. Under the stimulus package, health care providers who demonstrate meaningful use of EHRs will receive Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments.
The work group called for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT to define HHS certification criteria and separate the process from the influence of certifying organizations.
No More Monopoly for CCHIT?
In the past, the Certification Commission for Healthcare IT served as the only certifying entity for EHR systems.
However, the work group's directive would allow other organizations to enter the certification market.
Under the proposal, EHR vendors could obtain certification from one accredited certifying body and update their certification regularly.
Although the work group praised CCHIT for transparent discussions and fair testing practices, they said the commission's current certification process pays "too much attention to specific features and functionality."
However, the work group suggested that existing CCHIT-certified systems could receive HHS certification for 2011, the year the incentive payments are scheduled to begin.
The group also recommended implementing a transition plan to examine gaps between existing CCHIT criteria and the meaningful use objectives.
Moving Forward
The work group's other recommendations address issues related to privacy, security, interoperability, open-source programs and other flexible software sources.
The policy committee plans to accept public comments and continue refining the recommendations (Goedert, Health Data Management, 7/16).