Certification Commission Approves CCHIT Certified® 08 Ambulatory EHR Criteria, Cardiovascular and Child Health Options Debut

Application period for product testing opens July 1 – 14; Educational sessions to be held May 27 – 29

CHICAGO – May 20, 2008 – The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT®) has finalized its updated requirements for ambulatory (office-based) electronic health records (EHRs).  Products that comply with 100% of these criteria will receive the CCHIT Certified® 08 Ambulatory EHR designation.  The final criteria, test scripts, and associated documents have been posted to the Certification Commission's Web site at www.cchit.org/certify/ambulatory.  The first round of applications for certification under the Ambulatory EHR 08 criteria will be accepted from July 1 to July 15, with results announced in October, followed by additional application windows later in the year. Additional information for vendors, including a certification handbook and other information on how to apply, will be published in the next few days. 

“Our volunteer workgroups have once again wrestled with all the challenging details, then reached consensus – ‘raising the bar’ to significantly advance the benefits available from certified EHRs for providers as well as patients,” said Mark Leavitt, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the Certification Commission. “Among the many advances this year, one of the most exciting steps forward is in interoperability.  All CCHIT Certified 08 Ambulatory EHRs must be capable of sending and receiving patient summaries electronically, using HITSP-approved standards for Continuity of Care Documents.  This opens the door to accurately and securely transferring key medication and allergy information between providers, wherever care is delivered – reducing the chance of dangerous errors.  This is the kind of health IT capability that can save lives.” 

Optional Certifications in Child Health and Cardiovascular Medicine

Along with its third version of certification for ambulatory EHRs, the Commission is introducing optional, additional certifications for ambulatory EHRs intended for use in Child Health and Cardiovascular Medicine. “When searching for an EHR, any providers – not just pediatric specialists – who see children in their office should look for the additional Child Health certification,” said Dr. Leavitt. “We also encourage cardiologists to consider the added Cardiovascular Medicine certification when shopping for an EHR that will meet their specialized needs.”

Educational sessions for CCHIT Certified 08 certification

Certification Commission criteria and test scripts are available to the public in advance of certification testing, providing vendors with the required information to prepare and practice. For those vendors seeking additional assistance, the Certification Commission offers live educational sessions, which provide an in-depth review of the test scripts, the testing environment, and a typical testing scenario.

Registration for the first educational sessions covering CCHIT Certified 08 Ambulatory EHR closes May 22. The sessions will be held May 27 – 29.
Pricing, curriculum, and registration for vendors interested in attending these educational sessions can be found at www.cchit.org/about/events/education/ambulatory/. 

Public comment period open for Inpatient, Emergency Department, and Enterprise


In addition to the CCHIT Certified 08 Ambulatory EHR materials, the Certification Commission has published the proposed final versions of its criteria and test scripts for CCHIT Certified 08 Inpatient EHRs, Emergency Department EHRs, and the optional additional Enterprise EHR certification.  The publishing of these materials opens a 14-day public comment period, which will close on June 2.  The final version of these materials will be published later in June, with an anticipated opening of applications on August 1.

Individuals or organizations interested in participating in the public comment process can access the materials and provide comments by visiting www.cchit.org/participate/public-comment/.

About CCHIT

The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT®) is an independent, nonprofit organization that has been recognized by the federal government as an official certification body for electronic health record products. Its mission is to accelerate the adoption of health information technology by creating a credible, sustainable product certification program. The certification requirements are based on widely accepted industry standards and involve the work of hundreds of expert volunteers and input from a variety of stakeholders throughout the health care industry. More information on CCHIT and CCHIT Certified® products is available at www.cchit.org.