To receive incentive dollars under the Medicare or Medicaid HITECH programs, a provider is required by statute to use a certified EHR technology. Authority is granted to the Office of National Coordinator (ONC) to establish certification programs for healthcare IT. On March 10, 2010, the ONC revealed its plan to establish programs for testing and certifying vendors to meet this requirement. The ONC will establish temporary and permanent certification bodies, and report vendor certifications as either “Complete EHR” solutions or “EHR Module” solutions. These certification bodies will be established through separate Final Rules.

The final rule for establishment of a Temporary Certification Program for Health Information was issued by the ONC on June 24, 2010. This rule outlines the process for certification organizations, such as CCHIT, to apply for status as an ONC Authorized Temporary Certification Body (ONC-ATCB). Applications to become an ONC-ATCB were made available just last week and CCHIT has indicated it is applying to become an ONC-ATCB. The ONC has committed to reviewing submitted applications within 30 days. Barring any deficiencies, the ONC will notify the ATCB applicant of its approval status and the newly appointed ONC-ATCB can begin testing and certifying Complete EHRs and/or EHR Modules. This places the earliest opportunity for granting ONC-ATCB status to CCHIT around mid- to late-August.

EHS is committed to meeting all HHS requirements so that our clients can achieve meaningful use and eligibility for HITECH incentives. EHS currently meets and exceeds the federal requirements. This is clearly demonstrated with the approval of CareRevolution® 5.3, as a fully CCHIT Certified® 2011 Ambulatory EHR with additional certification in Child Health and a 5-star usability rating. This is the highest level of certification currently available in the marketplace, and the strongest positioning an EHR vendor can have to assure compliance with the meaningful use criteria. CCHIT 2011 testing and certification were performed for compliance with the ONC’s recommended initial criteria for meaningful use in August, 2009, and actually exceed these federal standards. EHS will test and certify with an ONC-ATCB as a Complete EHR as soon as available. Additionally, EHS clients can be confident that EHS will continue to maintain its position as an ONC certified Complete EHR technology for Stage 1 meaningful use and all forthcoming stages set forth through future rulemaking.