The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT has started accepting applications from organizations seeking to be named as testing and certification bodies for electronic health record systems, Modern Healthcare reports.
Under the 2009 federal economic stimulus package, health care providers who demonstrate "meaningful use" of certified EHR systems will qualify for federal incentive payments.
ONC issued the final rule on the temporary testing and certification program on June 18, and the rule appeared in the Federal Register on June 24.
The stimulus package gave ONC the option of retaining the Certification Commission for Health IT as the sole EHR certification group or recognizing a new organization, according to Modern Healthcare. ONC opted to expand its search for a new group, and CCHIT has joined a pool of applicants for the distinction.
Carol Bean, a standards harmonization analyst for ONC, said HHS to date has received about 40 application inquiries and 14 requests for applications. She said ONC has 30 days after receiving an application to decide whether the organization qualifies as an "authorized testing and certification body" under the temporary certification program.
The final rules for the permanent authorization program have not yet been released, although a proposed rule was issued in March (Conn, Modern Healthcare, 7/1).