Proposed Rules for EHR Certification Released
Recently, the Department of Health and Human Services released their proposed rules for establishing certifications programs for health information technology.
This week, the Department of Health and Human Services announced the release of their proposed rules for establishing certification programs for health information technology programs. As mandated by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) from last year’s stimulus package, the proposed rules are meant to “give purchasers and users of EHR technology assurances that the technology and products have the necessary functionality and security to help meet meaningful use criteria.”
The rules delineate how an organization can receive government certification for their EHR systems in order to receive federal incentive payments for healthcare providers who demonstrate “meaningful use” of a certified EHR. Two programs will certify EHR systems:
- A temporary program will be instituted that allows providers to test their EHR capabilities and time to adopt certified systems to gain federal incentive payments
- A permanent entity will be created to oversee and run the certification process.
Following the release of the proposed rules, the Office of the National Coordinator will enter a 30-day holding period for public comment with the intent of finalizing rules by April 9. Following a 60-day comment period, permanent implementation is expected by May 10.
Kevin Fickenscher, MD
The views and opinions expressed herein are my own and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of Dell Services or its affiliates.
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