The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology has slated a “town call” Web conference on Sept. 3 to gather input from the vendor and developer communities on the commission’s planned new paths to certification for electronic health record technologies.
The call is set for noon Central Time.
The goal, says CCHIT Chairman Mark Leavitt, MD, is to achieve more rapid, widespread adoption and meaningful use under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).
“We are concerned that providers could not achieve meaningful EHR use in 2011 if they wait until spring 2010 – the expected date of (the Deaprtment of Health and Human Services')' final approval of requirements – to begin adopting this technology,” said Leavitt, “CCHIT has analyzed the recommendations of the federal HIT advisory committees and is preparing to offer new paths to certification beginning this October.”
Besides updating and enhancing its certification program for comprehensive EHRs in ambulatory, inpatient and emergency department settings, the commission plans to launch a more limited, modular inspection program for EHR technology, focusing solely on compliance with ARRA-required standards.
During the event, concepts and some details of the two programs will be discussed. Participants will be invited to submit questions and comments online and respond to polling regarding their interest in and readiness for participation in the process.
The commission is also tentatively planning training sessions, to be held in Chicago on Sept. 29 and Oct. 1, to orient vendors and developers to new programs, including updated application processes, applicable certification criteria and test scripts, and other added policies.
Recent recommendations by a workgroup of the federal Health Information Technology Policy Committee call for opening up the certification process to the market. The panel envisions 10 to 12 new panels in addition to the CCHIT, which is the sole certification body today. The new panels would first be approved by the government and employ certification procedures developed by the CCHIT.
