Confused About EHR Certification?

Confused about EHR certification? You’re not alone. With all the talk lately about the EHR meaningful use criteria for achieving federal funds, many providers aren’t sure what it all means and where certification fits in there.

In fact, two-thirds of healthcare providers said they consider EHR certification to be very important, but they are uncertain about the requirements, according to a new survey by consulting firm CapSite.

The study found that 52 percent believed that an EHR must be certified by the Certification Commission for Health IT (CCHIT) to qualify for federal funds, and that most don’t know that there will likely be other certifying organizations. The federal government has yet to name the authorized organizations that can put their stamp of approval on the EHRs, and CCHIT has been the major player there from the beginning.

From Healthcare IT News: 
"The study provides clear evidence that there is considerable confusion in the market in terms of the certification requirements for Ambulatory EHRs," says Brendan FitzGerald, research director for CapSite. "Although the ONC has not designated Authorized Testing and Certification Bodies (ATCB) at this time, 69 percent of respondents were not aware there will be federally accredited alternatives to CCHIT (Certification Commission for Health IT) for ambulatory EHR certification."

But, 33 percent of respondents said they are less concerned about who does the certifying than they are about receiving funds. It looks like there’s still a long way to go in educating practices about the incentive requirements and the certification process.