Vendor CEO: It’s a Myth that Physicians Must Buy Only CCHIT-Certified EMRs
Vol 1, Issue 11
June 19, 2008
That’s a myth that Evan Steele wants to debunk. Steele is the CEO of Montvale, N.J.-based SRSsoft, which markets a clinical document management solution.
Steele: Despite Marketing, CCHIT is Irrelevant
Steele says the confusion is due to intense CCHIT marketing efforts and less-than-honest vendor practices. “The regulations don’t exist, but physicians feel like they have to purchase these certified EHRs,” Steele says. “We’ve checked the legislative calendar and there is nothing there that says you would have to buy it.”
Steele has an obvious motivation for clearing up any misunderstanding. He touts his company’s non-certified product as an alternative to “feature-rich, bloated EMR systems that are very expensive, very risky, and not all they’re cracked up to be.” In a recent press release, he called CCHIT “irrelevant” for the majority of providers.
CCHIT: Confusion Understandable, but Certification is Voluntary
Not surprisingly, CCHIT’s communications director Sue Reber disagrees. She does, however, concur that some providers mistakenly believe that the government requires purchasing only CCHIT-certified EHRs.
“Our process is completely voluntary, as it says on our Web site,” Reber explains. “Some of the confusion might come from the fact that we receive funding from HHS, but there is no law. Our major mission is to simply increase the adoption of EHR technology by making the purchaser more confident that the system they are buying meets basic requirements.”
Reber understands why providers might think that CCHIT certification is mandatory or will become so in the near future.
First, HHS funds the operation of CCHIT under a three-year contract, of which one year remains. After that, CCHIT will become a self-sustaining non-profit.
Second, EHR systems provided by hospitals to physicians must be CCHIT certified to avoid government scrutiny under Stark and anti-kickback statutes.
Finally, providers who receive federal funding may be required to use certified EHRs.
While there have been hints of future mandates, Reber says, no across-the-board law requires providers to purchase systems that have earned CCHIT’s certification.
Cost, Freedom of Choice Debated
Steele argues that the cost and effort to meet CCHIT’s requirements are burdensome to small vendors. He also says that CCHIT’s seal of approval undermines the freedom of providers to carefully evaluate their practices and choose whatever technology fits best.
“For a smaller vendor, if their software does not meet the criteria for CCHIT certification, they have to hire more programmers to meet those standards. They’re directing that energy at getting certified rather than addressing client concerns,” Steele says.
Reber says there’s no evidence that anyone was priced out of the certification market. Demand was strong in the first year. CCHIT certified 81 products, an estimated 40 percent of the vendors that produce such systems.
Quality and safety aren’t the only issues, Reber says. Providers need to be able to collect patient quality and safety data for pay-for-performance reimbursement programs.
“Until we have data that physicians can easily use, they can’t participate in a lot of these programs and ensure quality of care,” says Reber. “We want to help providers be more informed about using health information technology, and the more savvy they become, the more they will want a system that can provide that level of access.”
— Correspondent Maureen McKinney