WHO WILL HAVE THE FINAL SAY ABOUT EHR AND HEALTH IT CERTIFICATION?
The ONC has proposed two separate programs for EHR certification — a temporary program and a permanent one. Per the HITECH Act, the ONC must consult with the director of the National Institute of Standards for Technology in recognizing the certification programs, because NIST standards will be incorporated into the health IT certification process. Under the proposed temporary program, the ONC would serve in an accreditation capacity, authorizing the organizations that want to become EHR certification bodies. These organizations would have to perform both testing and certification, with the testing conducted at accredited test labs. Eventually the temporary certification program would be replaced by a permanent one. Under the proposed permanent program, meanwhile, the responsibilities for testing and certification would be separated. The ONC would approve a private sector accrediting body, and interested organizations would have to meet accreditation requirements. The ONC plans to use
