HIT Certification: CCHIT

Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT)

Three leading HIT industry associations - � the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), and The National Alliance for Health Information Technology (The Alliance) joined forces in July 2004 to launch CCHIT as a voluntary, private-sector organization to certify health IT products. In September 2005, HHS awarded CCHIT a three-year contract to develop and evaluate certification criteria and create an inspection process for health IT. HHS has now asked CCHIT to advance certification in these areas:

1. Ambulatory Electronic Health Records (EHRs) - for the office-based clinician
2. Inpatient EHRs - for hospitals and health systems
3. Health networks - through which EHRs and other health related systems will share information
4. Components of developing Personal Health Records (PHRs)
5. EHRs for specialty practices and special care settings

As the CCHIT continues to develop and refine its efforts, it will focus more specifically on areas that can support specific aspects of health and health care. In 2007 some of these areas will include:

• EHRs focusing on professional specialties with cardiovascular medicine selected as the first area of specialization
• EHRs focusing on specific populations including child and behavioral health
• EHRs focusing on specific care settings including the emergency department and long term care

To date, CCHIT has developed ambulatory and inpatient certification criteria and certified a substantial portion of the ambulatory care EHR market. Specific work can be found in these products:

• Certification Criteria and Process
• Certification Handbook
• CCHIT Certified Products

For additonal detailed information about CCHIT, Click here to visit CCHIT’s homepage