Tracking Healthcare News from Federal Agencies

Healthcare is an industry very much affected by government bureaucracies. The decisions made within the Department of Health and Human Services can have impact ranging from the incidental to the profound. Our HealthLeaders Media online news team regularly tracks the proposals and policies emanating from Washington, DC. Here are examples based on reports filed by Andrea Kraynak, Dom Nicastro, and John Commins. 

ONC issues EHR certification program final rule

HHS’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology has released a final rule establishing a permanent health information technology certification program. The rule describes the permanent certification program for electronic health records, and how organizations become authorized to test and certify EHR technology. ONC plans to replace the temporary program currently in effect with the permanent version on January 1, 2012, though it may delay if necessary.

“The permanent certification program provides new features that will enhance the certification of health information technology, including increasing the comprehensiveness, transparency, reliability, and efficiency of the current processes used for the certification of EHR technology,” according to an HHS statement.