ONC-ATCBs (Authorized Testing and Certification Bodies) for EHRs Accounced
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is pleased to announce the first ONC-Authorized Testing and Certification Bodies (ATCBs) for electronic health record (EHR) technology.
Certification by an ATCB will signify to eligible professionals, hospitals, and critical access hospitals that an EHR technology has the capabilities necessary to support their efforts to meet the goals and objectives of meaningful use.
With today’s announcement, there are now organizations ready and able to begin certifying EHR technology.
To find out more, please visit http://healthit.hhs.gov/ATCBs.
The following organizations have been selected as ONC-Authorized Testing and Certification Bodies (ATCBs):
- Certification Commission for Health Information Technology
(CCHIT) – Chicago, Ill.
- Drummond Group Inc.
The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT), Chicago, Ill. and the Drummond Group Inc. (DGI), Austin, Texas, were named today by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) as the first technology review bodies that have been authorized to test and certify electronic health record (EHR) systems for compliance with the standards and certification criteria that were issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services earlier this year.
Announcement of these ONC-Authorized Testing and Certification Bodies (ONC-ATCBs) means that EHR vendors can now begin to have their products certified as meeting criteria to support meaningful use, a key step in the national initiative to encourage adoption and effective use of EHRs by America’s health care providers.
“Less than two months following the issuance of final meaningful use rules, we have approved our initial ONC-ATCB certifiers. EHR vendors can begin immediately to get their products certified.” said David Blumenthal, M.D., national coordinator for Health Information Technology. This is a crucial step because it ensures that certified EHR products will be available to support the achievement of the required meaningful use objectives, that these products will be aligned with one another on key standards, and that doctors and hospitals can invest with confidence in these certified systems.”
Applications for additional ONC-ATCBs are also under review.
