The importance of a certified EHR
Independent physicians who take advantage of certified electronic health record technology (CEHRT) will be able to participate in a number of incentive programs offered through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and its Innovation Center. The newest CMS Innovation Center initiative, Primary Care First, requires the use of 2015 Edition CEHRT for participation in payment models designed to benefit smaller practices.
In addition, as described by The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), “Using certified health IT improves care coordination through the electronic exchange of clinical-care documents. It provides a baseline assurance that the technology will perform clinical-care and data-exchange functions in accordance with interoperability standards and user-centered design. The benefits of standard data capture and interoperable exchange of information include enhanced patient safety, usability, privacy, and security.”
CMS now requires eligible providers to use 2015 CEHRT to meet the requirements of the Promoting Interoperability Program as well. CMS states that “CEHRT gives assurance to purchasers and other users that an EHR system or module offers the necessary technological capability, functionality, and security to help them meet the meaningful use criteria. Certification also helps health care providers and patients be confident that the electronic health IT products and systems they use are secure, can maintain data confidentially, and can work with other systems to share information.”
Another CMS payment incentive program, the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) encourages independent physicians to use certified EHR technology to aid in the process of attaining the 25 points allocated to Advancing Care Information. In fact, using CEHRT is required for reporting Advancing Care Information measures for most providers participating in the program.
ONC emphasizes that certified health IT “plays a vital role in establishing a nationwide, connected, and interoperable health information infrastructure.” CEHRT can help an independent practice offer:
- Electronic prescribing
- Patient-specific education resources
- Secure e-messaging
A Drummond seal guarantees that a product meets industry standards and that it is interoperable. Opting to choose an EHR software that is Drummond Certified
has many benefits:
- It can save an independent practice money as the Drummond seal guarantees the operability of the software. Exploring and investing in multiple products is no longer necessary.
- It can save an independent practice time. By choosing to look for the Drummond seal, selecting an EHR is made easy since compliance, reliability and industry standards are all covered by the Drummond Certified seal.
