A short explanation of the certification process for the RPMS-EHR as I understand it.

1. Certification
of the RPMS EHR
Chris Lamer

2. CCHIT
CCHIT was the only certification body for EHR

3. CCHIT
EHR Certification Test Scripts
IHS obtained the test scripts for obtaining EHR certification

4. IHS RPMS
Certified in 2008
Under 2007 criteria
RPMS-EHR received provisional certification in 2008 which was good
until 2010

5. Those really were the droids you were looking for
Some people felt that CCHIT was biased because they made the
certification tests and administered it - there were concerns of unfair
practices and CCHIT came under alot of scrutiny

6. ONC
The Office of the National Coordinator stepped in and created new rules
based on the CMS documentation

7. ONC NIST
ONC employed the National Institute for Standards and Technology to
carry out their plans for EHR testing

8. ONC NIST
Authorized Testing and Certification Bodies (ATCB)
New applicants came out to be credentialed to administer the
certification exams to EHR vendors

9. ONC NIST
CCHIT
CCHIT hopes to be the first certified ATCB

10. We have the plans for the new EHR certification, but the plans are
incomplete. We’re waiting for CMS, ONC, NIST and the ATCBs to finish
the plans out so we can be sure of what we need to do.

11. There has been alot of confusion about what is going on.

12. Did someone tell you
This was easy?
And this has not been an easy process.

13. Leadership
Fortunately we have good leadership through people like Dr. Hays and
Dr. Cullen

14. Subject Matter
Experts
And there are a number of EHR SMEs out there that can help like David
Taylor

15. CMS: Final Meaningful Use criteria
CMS should be ready to go in the Summer

16. ONC: Standards and criteria for certification
ONC will release their final guidelines to NIST shortly after that

17. ONC: Certification process developed
ONC has already released their requirements for ATCBs - organizations like CCHIT are already at work to become certified as soon as possible.

18. NIST: Test tools and procedures defined
NIST will finalize their requirements and make them available to the ATCBs and EHR Vendors

19. ONC: Recognition of ATCBs
ONC will need to recognize the ATCBs before they can begin testing - this is expected to start in the very early fall

20. CCHIT/ATCB: EHR Certification Process
IHS will be ready for testing by late fall or early winter so we can begin releasing the new RPMS and EHR updates to the sites to begin work
towards meaningful use.