The Quest for Certification

Electronic health records are getting another boost from the Office of the National Coordinator, which on Thursday will publish a final rule for a temporary EHR certification program.

Government Health IT reports:

The temporary program is designed to enable health IT vendors to have the products and services certified in time for providers to meet looming 2011 deadlines for qualifying for first stage meaningful use requirements.

The publication of the rule June 24 in the Federal Register will trigger the launch of the program. On July 1, ONC will begin to accept and process applications from organizations that want to become an ONC-Authorized Testing and Certification Body, according to senior ONC officials.

Certification is important because it gives health care providers the confidence that products will function properly, meet meaningful use criteria and improve quality of care, the article states. ONC will keep a record of certified products, which will be on the market this fall. The temporary certification program will continue until December 2011, when a permanent program will begin.

One caveat: programs certified under the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology will have to get in line, just like everyone else.