Beginning July 1, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT will accept and process applications from not-for-profit entities seeking designation as ONC-authorized testers and certifiers of electronic health record technology, Government Health IT reports (Mosquera, Government Health IT, 6/18).
On June 18, ONC released a final rule on a temporary program designed to help ONC approve organizations to test and certify electronic health records under the 2009 federal economic stimulus package.
Under the stimulus package, health care providers who demonstrate "meaningful use" of certified EHRs will qualify for federal incentive payments (Kraynak, HealthLeaders Media, 6/18).
Timeline for Temporary EHR Certification Program
The final rule is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on Thursday, triggering the official launch of the temporary certification program.
The program is set to end on Dec. 31, 2011, when a permanent and more comprehensive certification program will take its place.
Carol Bean, ONC division director of certification and testing, said authorized organizations are expected to begin testing and certifying EHRs by late summer. By fall, certified EHR products would be available on the market, she said.
Bean added that ONC would announce the authorized organizations on its website (Government Health IT, 6/18).
CCHIT Plans To Apply
The Certification Commission for Health IT, an existing EHR certifying organization, in a statement said it will be among the applicants for the new program. CCHIT officials said the organization is prepared to demonstrate its qualifications and experience (Monegain, Healthcare IT News, 6/18).