June 2010

I was pleased to see the following website being launched recently: http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms If you’re looking for a “just the facts ma’am” style of answers to your frequent questions about HHS’s EHR Incentives program (the ARRA HITECH stimulus bill) I would recommend starting there now. For example, here’s what they say about the certification program: How [...]

Healthcare organizations should be embracing digital signatures but often think it’s much harder than it really is. Some organizations are resorting to timely, expensive and cumbersome paper-based processes because they think they need to move to full EMRs or EHRs in order to gain any of the benefits of digital signatures. Fortunately, advances in digital [...]

I was at a HHS ONC press conference today and the dates for selecting certifying bodies was announced. As of today if you’re interested in being a certification body you must request the HHS Certifying Body application in writing On July 1 ONC will start accepting applications By the “end of the summer” (HHS’s words) [...]

Chris Thorman over at Software Advice had a nice CCHIT-related posting a couple of days ago: EMR Ratings: How Relevant Is CCHIT Certification In the HITECH Era? Chris wrote that one doctor called and asked: “Is CCHIT dead?” Here’s part of his response: Dead? No. But it appears that the organization’s influence is waning. In [...]