The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology is an independent nonprofit focused on advancing the use of IT in healthcare. In 2006, CCHIT was authorized by ONC and HHS as an official certifying body for electronic health records, and since then has been one of the most widely used providers of EHR accreditation.
Now, CCHIT has announced a strategic change in direction that will bring its accreditation work to an end.
While finishing up with its existing queue of vendors seeking accreditation, CCHIT will begin focusing on developing programs and industry guidance to advance the use of health IT to deliver better, more efficient care, work the organization's officials believe is more in line with CCHIT's original mission. CCHIT will also rekindle a partnership with HIMSS to develop stronger offerings and expand its audience base.
Alisa Ray, executive director of CCHIT, cites the meaningful use stage 2 extension and general uncertainty about the future of health IT regulations as the main motivators for the change. The extension slowed down the volume of vendors coming to CCHIT for certification, and the unpredictability of coming regulatory changes has presented "a real business challenge," she says.
Ms. Ray also says CCHIT's involvement with the EHR certification program has limited the amount of education and policy work the organization could do in the past. By withdrawing from ONC's HIT Certification Program, CCHIT will be able to devote time and resources to helping vendors and providers best prepare for regulatory and industry changes ahead. "Not being beholden to the certification program frees us up to support ONC's efforts in other ways," says Ms. Ray. "It will help us contribute more meaningfully."
For example, CCHIT's subscription-based ONC testing and certification preparation service, the Source, will continue to operate, but after the transition will have new information for EHR developers on understanding ONC's certification criteria and testing processes and other key topics. "And if vendors can get through the [certification] process faster, that helps providers that are waiting for upgrades," says Ms. Ray. "This will really help everyone."
The board of directors is working on developing an overall strategy and specific programming that will help CCHIT further its mission while taking advantage of the organization's expertise and access to HIMSS resources. A few pieces of programming have already been put together, including a summit at HIMSS14 in Orlando that will feature three former National Coordinators for Health IT engaging an audience of industry stakeholders in a discussion about the future of technology in healthcare.
Even though CCHIT will no longer be directly affiliated with the ONC, Ms. Ray believes these types of programs and services CCHIT will now be able to offer will be beneficial to both vendors and providers as well as the ONC.
"We do believe we can add value to what the ONC and Dr. DeSalvo are doing," she says. "We're going to be unencumbered and more available to people, and our work will be more aligned with our joint mission" of fostering the use of technology in healthcare.
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