David Blumenthal, MD, head of ONC, announced on Friday, June 18, the final rules for temporary certification of EHR products. With the temporary certification rule in place, he expects EHRs with this particular certification on the market by this fall.
He also said the final rule on definition of meaningful use of EHRs will be due soon. Blumenthal emphasized that the temporary certification was just that - temporary - and it would be a bridge to permanent certification. July 1 was the date given for when entities could apply to be a certifying body of EHRs.
Both the certification and meaningful use are critical components of the ARRA incentive program. Blumenthal said so himself. What is a little bit worrisome is the release of these very critical components at this time when the first milestone for achieving meaningful use is in 2011.
Yes, the temporary certification is meant to be a bridge. Maybe the transition would be easier with this bridge than if vendors and providers had to jump directly into the permanent certification process. Yes, it would be wise to have more than one entity certifying bodies, although the potential for politics and too many entities could create unnecessary complexity.
There's an anxiety out in the field that has a lot to do with the state of temporariness, so to speak. The wheels of government grind slowly, but in this case perhaps they are going too fast? Should we get to a permanent state first so people know how to plan and then adjust the first milestone accordingly? Give us your thoughts.
