CCHIT Launches Three New Certification Programs

The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) announced today the launch of new CCHIT Certified programs for EHRs in Behavioral Health, both as an optional addition to Ambulatory EHR certification and as a standalone Behavioral Health EHR used in other outpatient settings, Dermatology, and Long-Term and Post-Acute Care, which also includes optional add-on certifications for EHRs used in skilled nursing facilities and home health.  

Applications for certification of these products are now being accepted and final criteria, test scripts, and certification materials are available at http://cchit.org. The CCHIT also offers special certification programs for Cardiovascular Medicine, Child Health, and Emergency Departments.  In addition, a certification program for EHRs used in Clinical Research will be available in fall 2010, and programs in Women’s Health and Oncology are in development for launch in spring 2011.

The criteria and inspection processes for these new CCHIT Certified programs were developed by work group volunteers representing a broad range of expertise, including physicians, hospitals, health IT developers, payers, healthcare purchasers, and consumers.  The certification development process included evaluating provider needs, understanding currently available standards, analyzing public response to drafted criteria and test scripts, and publication of a future roadmap of certification requirements for these new areas.

Source: Certification Commission for Health Information Technology