Three More EHRs Make the Certified List

Three more electronic health record products have received certification under the federal program: RxNT EHR from Networking Technology, PrimeSUITE 2011 from Greenway Medical Technologies, and a system designed for use in behavioral health, the Avatar 2011 from Netsmart Technology.

Oops: EHR Final Rule Gaffe

If you downloaded the EHR vendor guides from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC), you'll want to download the fixes. The original releases did not include technical descriptions to enable electronic health records to exchange symptom surveillance data. They were “adopted in error” in the final rule for the initial standard for electronic health records, says ONC. As a result of numerous complaints since the flawed rule's release in July, an interim final rule "fix" has now been published in the October 13 Federal Register, to take effect November 12.

What's the flap all about? The rule didn't cover enabling EHR users to “electronically record, modify, retrieve and submit syndrome-based public health surveillance information,” according to language in the interim final rule, stating that the "purpose is to facilitate the electronic exchange of de-identified nationally notifiable conditions." The spec gave public health agencies methodology for reporting conditions, but no guidance on designing EHRs that could meet the standard.

If you liked the final rule, you're gonna love the sequel! Get the interim final rule here.

Software List Released by Feds

The Office of the National Coordinator (of health information technology transformation) has released the first list of certified EHR systems. “Only those EHR technologies appearing on [our list] may be granted the reporting number that will be accepted by CMS for purposes of attestation under the EHR incentive program,” says the federal office in charge of certifying electronic health record systems. What does the wonk-speak mean? Only the listed EHRs will qualify physicians and other heathcare providers for Medicare and Medicaid incentives under the HITECH act - worth substantial reimbursement boosts to providers who have installed the systems. Not on the list = no bonus bucks. The certified EHR products are listed here.