HITECH Act Meaningful Use Final Rule
On September 4, 2012, CMS published the HITECH Act final rule listing Stage 2 criteria for the ARRA HITECH Act of 2009, Meaningful Use of Electronic Health Records, that eligible professionals (EPs), hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) have to meet to continue to participation in Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs.
By June 13, 2013, only three vendors were ready for inpatient, and three for ambulatory on the CMS website that shows which EHR vendors have their product certified for Meaningful Use under the 2014 Standard.
This creates an issue for all Eligible Providers (EPs) who achieved meaningful use Stage 1. Unless their EHR vendor meets the Stage 2 requirements, those EPs no longer qualify for Meaningful Use stimulus dollars. Subseqently the ONC Certified Electronic Health Record Technology (CEHRT) vendors increased certification levels enabled more EPs and EHs to attest.
Today the ONCHPL web site provides information on certified vendor software in compliance with the HITECH Act.
These developments come in the same year that all HIPAA Covered Entities should be moving toward ICD-10.
The 2014 Edition Standards and Certification Criteria final rule for Meaningful Use
As provided or in 45 CFR Part 170 RIN 0991–AB82 – Health Information Technology: Standards, Implementation Specifications, and Certification Criteria for Electronic Health Record Technology, 2014 Edition; Revisions to the Permanent Certification Program for Health Information Technology, the new Rule:
- Introduces new privacy, security, interoperability, safety, portability, quality measures, and transitions of care standards.
- Redefines the meaning of Certified EHR Technology (CEHRT) while aiming to permit greater innovation and reduced regulatory burden;
- Adopts certification criteria for transitions of care that will ensure EHR technology supports standards-based electronic health information exchange
- Requires test reports used for EHR technology certification be made publicly available and that EHR technology developers follow certain price transparency practices related to the types of costs (i.e., one-time, ongoing, or both) associated with EHR technology implementation for meaningful use; and
- Makes available for the first time, “gap certification” for certain certification criteria, which will enable more efficient EHR technology certification.
Details of many provisions from the 2014 Edition Meaningful Use / HITECH Act Final Rule below:
III. Provisions of the Final Rule Affecting Standards, Implementation Specifications, and Certification Criteria
A. 2014 Edition EHR Certification Criteria
1. Certification Criteria Relationship to MU
2. Applicability
3. Scope of a Certification Criterion for Certification
4. Explanation and Revision of Terms Used in Certification Criteria
5. Consensus-Based Standards
6. Adopting Versions of Standards
7. Display of Vocabulary Standards
8. Common Data Elements in CertificationCriteria
9. New Certification Criteria
a. Ambulatory and Inpatient Setting
b. Ambulatory Setting
c. Inpatient Setting
10. Revised Certification Criteria
a. Ambulatory and Inpatient Setting
b. Ambulatory Setting
c. Inpatient Setting
11. Unchanged Certification Criteria
a. Refinements to Unchanged Certification Criteria
b. Unchanged Certification Criteria Without Refinements
12. Gap Certification
13. ‘‘Disability’’ Status
B. Redefining Certified EHR Technology and Related Terms
1. Certified EHR Technology (CEHRT) Definition
2. Base EHR Definition
3. Complete EHR Definition
4. Certifications Issued for Complete EHRs and EHR Modules
5. Adaptations of Certified Complete EHRs or Certified EHR Modules
IV. Provisions of the Final Rule Affecting the
Permanent Certification Program for HIT (‘‘ONC HIT Certification Program’’)
A. Program Name Change
B. ‘‘Minimum Standards’’ Code Sets
C. Revisions to EHR Module Certification Requirements
1. Privacy and Security Certification
2. Certification to Certain New Certification Criteria
D. ONC–ACB Reporting Requirements E. Continuation and Representation ofCertified Status
1. 2011 or 2014 Edition EHR Certification Criteria Compliant
2. Updating a Certification
3. Representation of Meeting the Base EHR definition
F. EHR Technology Price Transparency G. Certification and Certification Criteria for Other Health Care Settings