Record Number Of Volunteers Take On Major Certification Update

CHICAGO – July 20, 2009 – Over 225 volunteers with the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) came together for a kickoff meeting last week in Chicago to update and broaden certification programs for electronic health record (EHR) technologies – some to be launched within 90 days, others in the months to follow. 

 The meeting was the largest ever for the Commission’s volunteer force, with over 80% of the 265 members serving on 19 work groups attending the 2-day conference.  The volunteers represent a wide array of specialties, settings, and populations, enabling the Commission to offer tailored programs to serve their diverse needs.  

 “The country is clearly at a critical point in advancing health IT to a level that has significant implications for the delivery of health care”, said Susan Kressly, M.D., a practicing pediatrician and member of the Child Health Work Group.  “The collective expertise and passion of the volunteers assembled at the kick-off meeting give me great optimism for what is possible. As a pediatrician, I’m excited to be a part of the process and have an opportunity to make sure that the unique health IT needs of children are acknowledged and addressed.”

 The volunteers, most already aware of the Commission’s new plans to meet the requirements of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), received more detailed guidance on how that would be accomplished.  Mark Leavitt, MD, PhD, Commission chair, also explained how those plans lined up with the recommendations of the HIT Policy Committee, a Federal advisory committee established by ARRA that was meeting in Washington DC at the same time as the kickoff.

 “For providers and hospitals to have any chance of meeting ARRA incentive requirements in 2011, certified EHR technologies must be promptly available,” said Dr. Leavitt.  “To do that, we will launch preliminary HHS/ARRA EHR technology certification programs in less than 90 days, drawing upon our inspection and certification experience and marketplace knowledge.  Our HHS/ARRA certification will be available to modular, open source, and self developed technologies as well as comprehensive EHRs.   Our current, very comprehensive certification programs -- though no longer the sole route to government certification -- will become even more robust to serve EHR purchasers who want maximal assurance of EHR completeness and integration.” 

Certification Commission redesigns Web site
CCHIT has launched a new Web site designed to make information about the certification programs more accessible to providers who wish to find certified EHR technology and software developers who are interested in applying for certification. Also included is additional information about ways stakeholders can participate in the certification process, such as volunteer for a work group or submit public comments. The Web address will remain www.cchit.org.
 
CCHIT also has made a small change in its name to more closely follow the standard in the HIT industry. The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology becomes the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology.

About CCHIT
The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT®) is an independent, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that has been recognized by the federal government as an official certification body for electronic health records. Its mission is to accelerate the adoption of robust, interoperable health information technology.   More information on CCHIT and CCHIT Certified® products is available at http://cchit.org,  http://ehrdecisions.com and http://phrdecisions.com.
“CCHIT®” and “CCHIT Certified®” are registered trademarks of the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology.