Surescripts to Certify EHR Security
Sixth Certifier for HITECH Incentive ProgramThe Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, headed by David Blumenthal, M.D., has selected the e-prescribing network as the sixth EHR certifier.
Unlike Surescripts, however, the other five certifiers can test and approve all aspects of EHRs. Those organizations are: ICSA Labs, SLI Global Solutions, The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology, the Drummond Group Inc. and InfoGard Laboratories Inc.
Surescripts recently announced plans to expand its e-prescribing network to offer a broader range of health information exchange services.
HITECH Incentives
Under the HITECH Act, Medicare and Medicaid will provide as much as $27 billion in incentive payments, beginning next year, to hospitals and physicians who make "meaningful use" of qualifying certified EHR software.
The EHR certification standards include numerous security capabilities, including encryption. The temporary EHR certification program is slated to be replaced with a permanent program in about a year.
A list of EHR software that's been certified so far is available on the ONC website.