Comments on: The Positive Impacts of Certification – Bigger Than Anyone Realized http://ehrdecisions.com/2008/09/25/the-positive-impacts-of-certification-%e2%80%93-bigger-than-anyone-realized/ Electronic Health Record (EHR) information and news Mon, 16 Jan 2012 02:46:45 -0800 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Sue Reber http://ehrdecisions.com/2008/09/25/the-positive-impacts-of-certification-%e2%80%93-bigger-than-anyone-realized/comment-page-1/#comment-81 Sue Reber Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:20:41 +0000 http://ehrdecisions.com/2008/09/25/the-positive-impacts-of-certification-%e2%80%93-bigger-than-anyone-realized/#comment-81 We recognize the desire among healthcare providers and EHR vendors for the Certification Commission to go beyond its original scope of work to extend its certification model to additional specialized areas of professional practice, care settings, and populations. In fact, two years ago the Commission conducted an open public comment process to gather information and prioritize a first round of expansion based on the potential for success of any new program given the benefit it would provide, the readiness for certification and the magnitude of the effort. The Commission took into consideration its own limited funding and resources for developing these expansion areas, so only a small number of areas were addressed in the first round of expansion. This resulted in the July 2008 launch of certification programs for child health, cardiovascular medicine and emergency department EHRs. Currently development or further research is under way for behavioral health and long term care EHRs, and personal health records (PHRs). The Commission also recently decided to extend certification to standalone e-prescribing products to enable physicians to take advantage of the new Medicare bonuses beginning in 2009. That leaves open the question of how the Commission will consider new areas for 2010 and beyond. It is likely that, as the Commission considers it strategic plan for future development, it will once more go to the healthcare community to collect information, through its public comment process, about what future certification programs would improve health IT adoption while having a strong impact on the quality, safety and efficiency of patient care. That market research would include such questions as: • What is the magnitude of the certification program’s potential effect? Number of patients? Number of physicians or facilities? Number of vendors currently offering products, including those who may offer it as an added module to a primary care ambulatory or inpatient EHR? • What is the current adoption rate? What percentage of providers already uses these products? Are they used in an ambulatory or inpatient setting or both? • What is the degree of market readiness for certification? Are there specialty professional societies with technical committees with whom the Commission could work? Are there consensus-based standards available upon which to base criteria and test scripts? Are these standards currently in use by a significant number of vendors developing products? • What sources of funding are available for new development? Would the program be sustainable? Those interested in the Commission’s progress in this area will find all deliberations and opportunities for public comment at www.cchit.org. A good way to stay up-to-date on all new activities is to sign up on that site for CCHIT eNews, our electronic newsletter. All information about emerging incentive programs will be published periodically in the CCHIT Incentive Index™ on this site. Sue Reber, Marketing Director, CCHIT We recognize the desire among healthcare providers and EHR vendors for the Certification Commission to go beyond its original scope of work to extend its certification model to additional specialized areas of professional practice, care settings, and populations. In fact, two years ago the Commission conducted an open public comment process to gather information and prioritize a first round of expansion based on the potential for success of any new program given the benefit it would provide, the readiness for certification and the magnitude of the effort. The Commission took into consideration its own limited funding and resources for developing these expansion areas, so only a small number of areas were addressed in the first round of expansion.

This resulted in the July 2008 launch of certification programs for child health, cardiovascular medicine and emergency department EHRs. Currently development or further research is under way for behavioral health and long term care EHRs, and personal health records (PHRs). The Commission also recently decided to extend certification to standalone e-prescribing products to enable physicians to take advantage of the new Medicare bonuses beginning in 2009.

That leaves open the question of how the Commission will consider new areas for 2010 and beyond. It is likely that, as the Commission considers it strategic plan for future development, it will once more go to the healthcare community to collect information, through its public comment process, about what future certification programs would improve health IT adoption while having a strong impact on the quality, safety and efficiency of patient care. That market research would include such questions as:
• What is the magnitude of the certification program’s potential effect? Number of patients? Number of physicians or facilities? Number of vendors currently offering products, including those who may offer it as an added module to a primary care ambulatory or inpatient EHR?
• What is the current adoption rate? What percentage of providers already uses these products? Are they used in an ambulatory or inpatient setting or both?
• What is the degree of market readiness for certification? Are there specialty professional societies with technical committees with whom the Commission could work? Are there consensus-based standards available upon which to base criteria and test scripts? Are these standards currently in use by a significant number of vendors developing products?
• What sources of funding are available for new development? Would the program be sustainable?

Those interested in the Commission’s progress in this area will find all deliberations and opportunities for public comment at http://www.cchit.org. A good way to stay up-to-date on all new activities is to sign up on that site for CCHIT eNews, our electronic newsletter. All information about emerging incentive programs will be published periodically in the CCHIT Incentive Index™ on this site.

Sue Reber, Marketing Director, CCHIT

]]> By: Ian Lane http://ehrdecisions.com/2008/09/25/the-positive-impacts-of-certification-%e2%80%93-bigger-than-anyone-realized/comment-page-1/#comment-79 Ian Lane Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:19:19 +0000 http://ehrdecisions.com/2008/09/25/the-positive-impacts-of-certification-%e2%80%93-bigger-than-anyone-realized/#comment-79 $700 M for CCHIT approved products would appear to work against the adoption the Ambulatory Specialty Specific EMR's such as Ophthalmology/Optometry. The Commision has not published Certification specs as yet. 1: Is there funding available in this instance? 2: When does the Commision plan to publish the specs for Eyecare? 3: Do you have any recommendations on what we can do in the interim, so the adoption in the eyecare community is 'encouraged' and can aprticipate in the funding available now? Thanks for taking the time to respond to these questions. Ian (:>) $700 M for CCHIT approved products would appear to work against the adoption the Ambulatory Specialty Specific EMR’s such as Ophthalmology/Optometry. The Commision has not published Certification specs as yet.
1: Is there funding available in this instance?
2: When does the Commision plan to publish the specs for Eyecare?
3: Do you have any recommendations on what we can do in the interim, so the adoption in the eyecare community is ‘encouraged’ and can aprticipate in the funding available now?

Thanks for taking the time to respond to these questions.
Ian (:>)

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