CCHIT Approves New 2007 Ambulatory Testing Criteria; Announces Certification Expansion Priorities

CHICAGO -- March 14, 2007 -- The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHITSM) unanimously approved new 2007 criteria for ambulatory (office-based) electronic health records (EHRs). The final criteria, test scripts, and associated documents will be posted March 19 on the Commission's Web site, www.cchit.org, and a revised handbook and contract agreement will be posted shortly thereafter. These criteria will take effect May 1, 2007.

Among a number of new requirements this year, systems must be able to send prescriptions and refills to pharmacies electronically. In addition, vendors must demonstrate their product’s ability to electronically receive standards-based lab result messages. Included with the criteria is a roadmap forecasting additional requirements for 2008 and 2009.

"These latest materials show not only the concrete progress made during the past year, but also the path forward toward more complete interoperability of EHRs and health information networks in the years ahead," said Mark Leavitt, MD, PhD, chair, CCHIT.

A Town Call teleconference is scheduled for April 5, at 11 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the 2007 ambulatory criteria, test scripts and certification process. Details on how to participate in the teleconference will be posted to www.cchit.org.

Expansion of certification program
Commissioners reviewed public comments and approved a roadmap for expansion of EHR certification to additional populations, settings, and specialties. The first population-based requirements will address capabilities needed for safe, quality healthcare for children; the first new care setting addressed will be the emergency department; and the first professional specialty area examined will be cardiovascular medicine.

"After being asked to expand the scope of certification to address more specialized needs, we invited input from any and all stakeholders. The Commission reviewed this data and created a roadmap to prioritize the expansion by examining the potential benefits, readiness, and effort involved in each area," added Dr. Leavitt. "The first of these efforts could begin as early as April of this year."

A roadmap of the expansion program will be published on CCHIT's Web site March 19, and more details about the expansion will be released following the April 16 Commission meeting.

Inpatient Certification Program
The Commissioners also approved test scripts for inpatient (hospital-based) EHRs. CCHIT will seek public comment on the scripts, which will be posted to www.cchit.org on or before March 23. Comments can be submitted through the Web site by April 13.

About CCHIT
The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHITSM) is an independent, nonprofit organization that has been recognized by the federal government as an official certification body for electronic health record products. Its mission is to accelerate the adoption of health information technology by creating a credible, sustainable product certification program. The certification requirements are based on widely accepted industry standards and involve the work of hundreds of expert volunteers and input from a variety of stakeholders throughout the health care industry. More information on CCHIT and CCHIT CertifiedSM products is available at www.cchit.org.