A: CCHIT is performing an important role in defining EHR functionality and promoting standards for EHR interoperability and security. While most healthcare participants agree that moving medical records to an electronic format is important, there is little consensus on what should constitute an EHR and how those systems should securely share data. The problem is complicated by the large number of EHR products (~300), an unending barrage of marketing claims and the unfortunate reality that many EHR implementations fail. CCHIT has taken on the task of defining the key functional components of an EHR, how it should communicate with other systems and how it should protect patient information. The CCHIT criteria consist of a list of detailed product capabilities against which EHRs are evaluated. At the very least, CCHIT has created a functional requirements checklist for EHR buyers. Adopted in full, CCHIT has provided buyers with a list of EHRs that meet every one of these requirements.

A: As of February 2008, CCHIT certifies EHRs based on about 250 criteria spanning EHR functionality, interoperability and security. These criteria start with basic functions like managing a patient record, patient history and clinical notes. However, they expand on those basic features by requiring more advanced functions like pharmacy and laboratory integration. These are great capabilities that could improve provider efficiency and patient care if adopted effectively. However, does every physician need and want them? No, not everyone. Nevertheless, if an EHR product does not have every CCHIT-required capability, it will not be certified; that is, CCHIT is all or nothing. Every criterion must be met for an EHR to achieve certification. There is no partial or feature-by-feature certification.

A: CCHIT develops criteria based on commonly available standards. In the case of the EHR, where there have been competing standards, more than one might be referenced as supporting the recommended functionality. CCHIT looks to the American National Standards Institute's Health Information Technology Standards Panel (ANSI-HITSP) to harmonize those standards as part of their charter from HHS. As they do that, CCHIT's criteria will reference those common standards selected or adapted by ANSI-HITSP. CCHIT works cooperatively with SDOs, which develop voluntary local or national consensus on standards for a particular domain, such as healthcare, or a sub-domain such as pharmacy, medical devices or imaging. While SDOs set standards, independent third parties - such as CCHIT - are responsible for measuring and determining fulfillment of those standards, providing a certification of compliance.

A: The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT®) has gained substantial momentum since the organization’s founding in 2004. As a result, buyers of electronic health records (EHRs) – or electronic medical records (EMRs), as they are also known - often ask me what role CCHIT certification should play in their purchase decision.

A: CCHIT claims to open up the flow of HIT incentives from payers and purchasers.Indeed, CCHIT specifies the functionality needed to measure and report on those quality indicators required for pay-for-performance incentives. In fact, CCHIT is the only federally recognized certification body for EHRs and is therefore important to any physician practice seeking to participate in upcoming payment incentive programs from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Meanwhile, CCHIT Certified EHRs qualify for a special exemption from the Stark and anti-kickback laws, so that local hospitals or health systems can subsidize a physician’s EHR purchase. Non-certified EHRs can also meet the exemption, but CCHIT is a reliable means of ensuring the interoperability required for an exemption. Finally, some malpractice liability insurers offer discounts to providers that use CCHIT Certified EHRs.