Move over, CCHIT. There may be another EHR certifying body in town.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced Jan. 13 that it was awarding a $400,000 contract to consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. to help develop a testing method and processes for certifying electronic health record systems, according to Government Health IT.
The contract requires the consulting firm “to help NIST build a testing framework for health IT, a certification ‘process document’ and other planning tools.” It will also provide a bridge until NIST finishes a competition for providers to complete the work.
NIST is working with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT to build a testing infrastructure for EHR systems.
Although the Certification Commission for Health IT (CCHIT) is currently the only EHR-certifying organization, Dr. David Blumenthal, the national health IT coordinator, will announce a process through which different organizations could certify EHR systems early this year.
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