What HHS' entry into e-health record certification means
It remains to be seen whether HHS'Notice of Proposed Rulemaking released yesterday is a game changer for certification of electronic health records.
If you are wondering whether HHS’ Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) released March 2 is a game changer for the certification of electronic health records (EHRs), the jury still seems to be out.
The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) — which has been certifying EHRs since 2006 — expressed confidence in CCHIT’s prospects for accreditation.
“Having reviewed the NPRM regarding certifying bodies, we feel confident about our prospects of becoming accredited,” CCHIT’s Alisa Ray said in a statement. She called the notice “an important step” that will reduce uncertainty about the certification process.
Uncertainty may have been reduced, but not banished. CCHIT’s future role in the certification program is a hot topic of conversation.
Dana Blankenhorn, a health information technology commentator, captured the issue in dramatic fashion on SmartPlanet.com with an article titled “The Fall of CCHIT.” Blankenhorn described the half-empty room where a CCHIT official recently talked about upcoming plans for that organization.
Joseph Goedert, health IT writer for Health Data Management, also discussed CCHIT’s future in his article on the NPRM. “So, while CCHIT appears to be able to continue its operations under the proposed temporary certification program, its future isn't clear in the proposed permanent program,” Goedert wrote March 2.