EMR Vendor Certifications

Health information technology can improve the efficiency of our health care system, reduce paperwork and provide doctors with accurate and complete information about their patient's health. For instance, it helps doctors keep a record of their patients' allergies and medications to avoid adverse reactions or conflicting drugs. Electronic Medical Record products a framework to file and manage patients' information. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has established a set of EMR certifications through the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.

ONC-ATCB Certification

• The ONC-ATCB certificate is the certification required by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology products. The certification tests, among other things, the ability of EMR products to maintain active medication lists, provide drug-to-drug and drug-allergy interaction checks, and access security and an adequate audit log.

CCHIT Certified Certification

• CCHIT, the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology, is a nonprofit organization that aims to accelerate the adoption of health information technology. Founded in 2004, it began certifying Electronic Medical Records in 2006. According to CCHIT, by 2009, 75 percent of all EMR products had the CCHIT Certification.

  The certification inspects the integration, interoperability and data security of EMR vendors and other health care information technology products. The program includes certification in Ambulatory EHR, Inpatient EHR, Emergency Department EHR, Behavioral Health EHR and Long Term and Post Acute Care EHR.

Temporary Certification Program for Health Information Technology

• The Temporary Certification Program was established by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, also known as the ONC. It was set as a requirement for certifying agencies as of June 24, 2010.

  The Temporary Certification Program was designed to create a process organizations could use to become an ONC-authorized testing and certification body. EMR vendors seeking certification must ensure their certifying body is approved by the ONC or their certification will not be valid.