Surescripts to Certify Meaningful Use of E-prescribing Within Electronic Health Records
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Nation's Largest Health Information Network Launches
ONC-ATCB Testing and Certification Program for EHR Modules Covering
E-Prescribing, Privacy and Security
ARLINGTON, Va. - February 22, 2011 - Surescripts,
the nation's largest e-prescription network, today announced the
availability of a new free of charge service to help vendors of
electronic health records test and certify to providers that their
EHR meets federal requirements for meaningful use. Surescripts
E-Prescribing Certification and Testing services enable EHR vendors
to test and certify for two of the EHR functions or "modules" -
e-prescribing, security and privacy - that providers must use in
order to qualify for incentives in 2011 and 2012 or "Stage 1" of
the EHR incentive program.
The launch of the new service follows the recent announcement by
the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT that
Surescripts has been selected as an ONC-Authorized Testing and
Certification Body under ONC's temporary certification program. The
temporary program was established to ensure that certified EHR
technology is available for adoption by health care providers who
seek to qualify for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive
payments beginning in 2011. To qualify as a temporary certification
body, an organization must meet specific ISO standards for quality
management as well as ONC's principles of proper conduct.
Leveraging its unique expertise in e-prescribing, Surescripts will
offer its new service directly to vendors and in support of other
ATCBs. For more information on Surescripts EPCAT℠ services, go to
http://www.surescripts.com/about-us/meaningful-use-services.aspx.
"The federal government has committed unprecedented resources to
supporting the adoption and use of certified EHR technologies, and
it is now the private sector's turn to act," said Paul Uhrig,
executive vice president and chief administrative officer of
Surescripts. "Certification bodies and vendors must swiftly
collaborate to ensure that providers successfully qualify for
incentives. Doing so will not only defray the cost of health IT,
but will make a positive, meaningful impact on the cost and quality
of health care in the United States."
"Testing and certification of health information technology are in
our DNA," said JP Little, executive vice president of products and
services for Surescripts. "For the better part of the last decade,
Surescripts has collaborated with over 250 prescriber technology
vendors on the way to enabling e-prescribing for over 200,000
providers at physician practices and health systems across the
nation. This long-standing collaboration and success reflect a
functional expertise and our principles as an organization. We are
proud to bring all of these assets to bear in the service of a
federal program dedicated to achieving meaningful improvements in
the nation's health care system."
ONC has adopted test procedures established by the National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The NIST test
procedures set forth the certification criteria for the
functionality required under meaningful use. More information can
be found on NIST's website at http://healthcare.nist.gov/use_testing/effective_requirements.html.
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About Surescripts
Surescripts supports the most comprehensive ecosystem of health
care organizations nationwide with the nation's largest
e-prescription network. Surescripts was founded on the principles
of privacy, security, neutrality, choice, transparency,
collaboration and quality. Surescripts connects prescribers in all
50 states through their choice of e-prescribing software to the
nation's leading payers, chain pharmacies and independent
pharmacies. By securely and reliably providing access to
prescription and health information for routine, recurring and
emergency care, Surescripts is committed to saving lives, improving
efficiency and reducing the cost of health care for all. For more
information, go to www.surescripts.com and
follow us at twitter.com/surescripts.
Press Contact:
Rob Cronin
917-414-5289
rob.cronin@surescripts.com
