EHR accreditation body proposes strengthening draft certification rules
Published: 2010-09-02 16:41:22
Author: ChiroEco | May 2010
FARMINGTON, Conn. - The Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC), a non-profit standards development organization and accrediting body, recently submitted detailed comments to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding the proposed establishment of certification programs for health information technology by the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology, Department of Health and Human Services. EHNAC’s comments and suggestions focus on the definition of an Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ACB) in the NPRM, testing versus certification, the facility requirement for a certifier, program timing, unannounced visits, the temporary program, and lastly, Guide 65 and ISO requirements.
Published: 2010-09-02 16:41:22
Author: ChiroEco | May 2010
FARMINGTON, Conn. - The Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC), a non-profit standards development organization and accrediting body, recently submitted detailed comments to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding the proposed establishment of certification programs for health information technology by the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology, Department of Health and Human Services. EHNAC’s comments and suggestions focus on the definition of an Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ACB) in the NPRM, testing versus certification, the facility requirement for a certifier, program timing, unannounced visits, the temporary program, and lastly, Guide 65 and ISO requirements.
Under the authority of Section
3001(c)(5) of the Public Health Service Act (PHSA), as added by the
Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act
(HITECH), the ONC issued a NPRM that would establish a temporary
certification program, followed by a permanent certification program to
replace the temporary certification program.
According
to the NPRM, the temporary certification program would allow the
National Coordinator to authorize organizations, ONC-ATCBs to test and
certify Complete EHRs and/or EHR Modules. The permanent certification
program would separate the responsibilities for performing testing and
certification; introduce accreditation requirements; establish
requirements for certification bodies authorized by the National
Coordinator, ONC-ACBs, related to surveillance of Certified EHR
Technology; and would include the potential for certification bodies
authorized by the National Coordinator to certify other types of health
information technology besides Complete EHRs and EHR Modules.
A
primary concern for EHNAC is that the definition of ONC-ACB as
presented in the NPRM will eliminate EHNAC and other entities from
consideration if the Secretary designates these organizations to certify
Health Information Exchanges (HIEs). EHNAC’s recommendations would
enable EHNAC to be designated as an HIE certifier without being an EHR
certifier.