Electronic Health Record (EHR) Certification

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act gives the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the authority to establish programs to improve healthcare safety, efficiency and quality through the promotion of health information technology (HIT), including EHRs and the exchange of private and secure electronic health information.

The HITECH Act specifically directs the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) to promote and support meaningful use (MU) of certified EHR technology across the country through the adoption of standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria along with the establishment of certification programs for HIT.¹

Questions

1. What is the purpose of the HIT EHR Certification Programs?

2. Is AVIGA™ certified by an Office of the National Coordinator - Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ATCB)?

3. How can one be certain that EHR technology that is being considered or purchased is actually certified?

4. If an EHR technology that is tested and certified is purchased, does that qualify for the Medicare or Medicaid EHR incentive payments?

5. If an eligible provider is already using EHR technology which gets certified, will that provider qualify for the Medicare or Medicaid EHR incentive payments?

6. Where can one find information about EHR technology that has been certified?

7. What is the Certified Health IT Product List (CHPL) and how is it used?

8. What organizations have been approved as ONC-ATCB?

Answers

What is the purpose of the HIT EHR Certification Programs?

Certification of Health Information Technology (HIT) will give assurance to those healthcare professionals purchasing and using an EHR system that the EHR system offers the necessary technological capability, functionality, and security to help them meet the MU criteria specified at that time. Providers must be confident that the electronic HIT systems and products they employ are secure, can maintain the confidentiality of patient data, and can share information with other systems. Having confidence in HIT systems is an important part of advancing HIT systems and EHR adoption and providing for the potential realization of improved patient care.

Eligible professionals who want to qualify for incentive payments under the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs are required by statute to use certified EHR technology that has been certified by an Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology-Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ATCB, or ATCB). Once certified, complete EHRs and EHR modules can be used singly or in combination to meet the regulatory requirements for certified EHR technology.

Is AVIGA™ certified by an ONC-ATCB?

AVIGA™ is designed to meet the meaningful use requirements under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. Janssen Diagnostics, Inc. has built AVIGA™ to meet each of the specific Stage 1 meaningful use requirements. AVIGA™ is fully Stage 1 certified* as an EHR for use in ambulatory care settings by the Drummond Group, one of the Office of the National Coordinator-Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ATCB) providers.

* This Complete EHR is 2011/2012 compliant and has been certified by an ONC-ATCB in accordance with the applicable certification criteria adopted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. This certification does not represent an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or guarantee the receipt of incentive payments. Certification Information: Janssen Diagnostics, Inc., 05/17/2012, AVIGA™ 2.0, 05172012-4394-6, Clinical Quality Measures tested: NQF001, NQF0002, NQF0004, NQF0013, NQF0018, NQF0024, NQF0027, NQF0028, NQF0031, NQF0032, NQF0033, NQF0034, NQF0036, NQF0038, NQF0041, NQF0043, NQF0047, NQF0052, NQF0055, NQF0056, NQF0059, NQF0061, NQF0062, NQF0064, NQF0067, NQF0068, NQF0070, NQF0073, NQF0074, NQF0075, NQF0084, NQF0086, NQF0088, NQF0089, NQF0105, NQF0385, NQF0387, NQF0389, NQF0421, NQF0575, Additional software used: popHealth, MIRTH Connect.

How can one be certain that EHR technology that is being considered or purchased is actually certified?

Certification by an ONC-ATCB means that EHR technology meets the implementation specifications, specific standards, and certification criteria. EHR technology must be tested and certified by an organization authorized by ONC as an ONC-ATCB, using currently approved standards and certification criteria. The following actions are appropriate:

• Eligible providers (EPs) under the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs should contact their vendors to ensure their EHR technology is tested and certified by an ONC-ATCB under the temporary certification program requirements³
• A healthcare provider can check the ONC website where a Certified HIT Products List (CHPL) is maintained and updated as the single, aggregate source of all certified Complete EHRs and EHR Modules reported by ONC-ATCBs to the National Coordinator⁴

If an EHR technology that is tested and certified is purchased, does that qualify for the Medicare or Medicaid EHR incentive payments?

Purchasing and using an EHR technology that is certified by an ONC-ATCB is an essential part of qualifying for the EHR incentive payments, however, other criteria must also be met. For details on the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, please visit http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentiveprograms.⁵

If an eligible provider is already using EHR technology which gets certified, will that provider qualify for the Medicare or Medicaid EHR incentive payments?

If an EHR technology currently being used is or becomes certified, a healthcare professional may be eligible for incentive payments. For details on the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, please visit http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentiveprograms.⁶

Where can one find information about EHR technology that has been certified?

ONC maintains on the ONC website a Certified HIT Products List (CHPL) as a single, aggregate source of all certified Complete EHRs and EHR Modules reported by ONC-ATCBs to the National Coordinator. The CHPL consists of all of the certified Complete EHRs and EHR Modules that could be considered for use to meet the definition of Certified EHR Technology. The ONC website also includes other information ONC-ATCB’s report to the National Coordinator; for example, the version number of a certified Complete EHR. Eligible professionals who elect to use a combination of certified EHR Modules can also use the CHPL webpage to validate that the EHR Modules they have chosen satisfy all of the applicable certification criteria required to meet the definition of Certified EHR Technology.⁷

What is the Certified Health IT Product List (CHPL) and how is it used?

The CHPL provides the authoritative, comprehensive listing of Complete EHRs and EHR Modules that have been tested and certified, and is maintained by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC). Each Complete EHR and EHR Module listed has been certified by an ONC-Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ATCB) and reported to ONC.

The CHPL is continually updated as ONC-ATCBs certify new products. Only the product versions that are included on the CHPL are certified. (Each ONC-ATCB also maintains a catalog of products they have certified which can be viewed by visiting their respective websites.)

For more information or to view the CHPL visit: Certified HIT Product List website.

What organizations have been approved as ONC-Authorized Testing and Certification Bodies (ONC-ATCBs)?

The following organizations have been selected as ONC-ATCBs. The ONC-ATCBs listed below are current as of the publication date of this site. (For the most up to date listing, visit the ONC website at, www.healthIT.hhs.gov/ATCBs):

• Surescripts LLC - Arlington, VA Date of authorization: December 23, 2010. Scope of authorization: EHR Modules: E-Prescribing, Privacy and Security.
• ICSA Labs - Mechanicsburg, PA Date of authorization: December 10, 2010. Scope of authorization: Complete EHR and EHR Modules.
• SLI Global Solutions - Denver, CO Date of authorization: December 10, 2010. Scope of authorization: Complete EHR and EHR Modules.
• InfoGard Laboratories, Inc. – San Luis Obispo, CA Date of authorization: September 24, 2010. Scope of authorization: Complete EHR and EHR Modules.
• Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) - Chicago, IL Date of authorization: September 3, 2010. Scope of authorization: Complete EHR and EHR Modules.
• Drummond Group Inc. (DGI) - Austin, TX Date of authorization: September 3, 2010. Scope of authorization: Complete EHR and EHR Modules.

The organizations listed above have been authorized to perform Complete EHR and/or EHR Module testing and certification. These ONC-ATCBs are required to test and certify EHRs to the applicable certification criteria adopted by HHS under subpart C of Part 170 Part II and Part III as stipulated in the Standards and Certification Criteria Final Rule. Each ONC-ATCB also maintains a catalog of products they have certified which can be viewed by visiting their respective websites.

Certification by an ATCB will signify to eligible professionals that an EHR technology has the capabilities necessary to support their efforts in meeting the goals and objectives of MU.⁸

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