I’d been meaning to write about the now infamous letter from the AMA and 20 other associations and organizations to Karen DeSalvo (ONC Chair and Assistant HHS Secretary). I’ve put a list of the organizations and associations that co-signed the letter at the bottom of this post. It’s quite the list.
In the letter they make these recommended changes to the EHR certification program:
1. Decouple EHR certification from the Meaningful Use program;
2. Re-consider alternative software testing methods;
3. Establish greater transparency and uniformity on UCD testing and process results;
4. Incorporate exception handling into EHR certification;
5. Develop C-CDA guidance and tests to support exchange;
6. Seek further stakeholder feedback; and
7. Increase education on EHR implementation.
Unfortunately, I don’t think that many of these suggestions can be done by Karen and ONC. For example, I believe it will take an act of Congress in order to decouple EHR certification from the meaningful use program. I don’t think ONC has the authority to just change that since they’re bound by legislation.
What I do think they could do is dramatically simplify the EHR certification requirements. Some might try to spin it as making the EHR certification irrelevant, but it would actually make the EHR certification more relevant. If it was focused on just a few important things that actually tested the EHR properly for those things, then people would be much more interested in the EHR certification and it’s success. As it is now, most people just see EHR certification as a way to get EHR incentive money.
I’ll be interested to see if we see any changes in EHR certification. Unfortunately, the government rarely does things to decrease regulation. In some ways, if ONC decreases what EHR certification means, then they’re putting their colleagues out of a job. My only glimmer of hope is that meaningful use stage 3 will become much more simpler and because of that, EHR certification that matches MU stage 3 will be simpler as well. Although, I’m not holding my breathe.
What do you think will happen to EHR certification going forward?
Organizations and Associations that Signed the Letter:
American Medical Association
AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
American Academy of Dermatology Association
American Academy of Facial Plastic
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Home Care Medicine
American Academy of Neurology
American Academy of Ophthalmology
American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists
American Association of Neurological Surgeons
American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons
American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
American College of Emergency Physicians
American College of Osteopathic Surgeons
American College of Physicians
American College of Surgeons
American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
American Osteopathic Association
American Society for Radiology and Oncology
American Society of Anesthesiologists
American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and Reconstructive Surgery
American Society of Clinical …read more
