On Monday, the Certification Commission for Health IT announced that more organizations are using its alternative program to obtain certification for customized, self-developed or legacy electronic health record systems, Healthcare IT News reports (Manos, Healthcare IT News, 7/9).
Background on the Program
CCHIT is one of several groups that the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT has designated as an authorized testing and certification body, meaning that CCHIT can certify EHR systems under Stage 1 of the federal meaningful use program.
Under the 2009 economic stimulus package, health care providers who demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR systems can qualify for Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments.
CCHIT's alternative program -- called EHR Alternative Certification for Healthcare Providers, or EACH -- targets hospitals that have:
- Customized commercial EHR products;
- Self-developed EHR systems; or
- Uncertified legacy EHR systems (iHealthBeat, 1/20/11).
Details From the Announcement
According to CCHIT's announcement, the latest EHR systems to receive certification under the EACH program are:
- BWH EHR, Version 1.1, by Brigham and Women's Hospital;
- MGH EHR, Version 1.0, by Massachusetts General Hospital; and
- Partners HealthCare EHR, by Partners HealthCare System.
The listed health care organizations all are based in Boston.
Alisa Ray -- executive director of CCHIT -- said, "These organizations join almost 30 health care providers with multiple products that have received CCHIT EACH certification since the program was launched last year" (Healthcare IT News, 7/9).