The Health IT Policy Committee endorsed comments on a plan by the Office of the National Coordinator to offer permanent certification of electronic health record systems, including a provision to monitor EHRs after they are purchased to ensure providers are installing the proper technology.
The advisory panel okayed this and other features of permanent certification described in a proposed rule published by ONC in March. The ONC is expected to finalize its plan for permanent certification of EHRs sometime before the end of the 2010.
Permanent certification describes requirements for testing whether EHRs deliver the functions required for meaningful use. A separate temporary certification plan has been designed containing a more limited set of requirements to help providers get EHRs up and running in the first year of the meaningful use program.