One Step Closer to a National EHR Certification System
As noted in a previous post, only providers using nationally certified EHR systems will be eligible for the financial incentives available under the ARRA. Currently, there are no nationally certified EHR systems, and no certification criteria has been named.
The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (“CCHIT”), a recognized certification body for electronic health records (“EHR”), has submitted its proposed EHR certification criteria(pdf), which maps the requirements of an ARRA qualified EHR, to the HIT Standards Committee for review and approval. CCHIT anticipates feedback on the proposed certification criteria by August 26, 2009, and will begin accepting applications from EHR vendors shortly after receiving the anticipated “green light.”
CCHIT has already named many EHR vendors as “CCHIT Certified 08,” but this certification does not have any connection to the national certification required under the ARRA, and does not guarantee eligibility for the financial incentives.
Do the financial incentives available under the ARRA for implementing a certified EHR system apply to ASC's? Or does this only apply to hospitals and physician practices?
Hi Erin:
Answers to questions like yours will only be available when the exact definition of "meaningful use" is fleshed out. The final HHS rule defining "meaningful use," expected in 2009, will give the guidelines for attaining the financial incentives as physicians, hospitals, and everyone else in between.
However, the whole point of the Act was to foster uniformity, transparency and portability within the health care industry, so leaving ASC's out of the loop would seem counter productive. If the ASC's are billing for Medicare services, using certified EHR systems, and making "meaningful use" of the EHR systems, then I don't see why the financial incentives wouldn't be available to them.