Health IT Certification program

In order to support the Medicare and Medicaid HER Incentive Programs run by the CMS, the ONC started the Health IT Certification program in 2010. The program is a voluntary testing and certification process for health IT. It specifies the technical standards by which health IT may be certified and maintain certification, as well as requirements related to capabilities related to the recording, security, and sharing of health information. The ONC engages with other organizations in the review, approval, and authorisation processes, which is a crucial lesson I've learned. These groups include the Health IT Developer, NVLAP, and NIST. Also, I have learnt that the ONC follows a certification process: issue regulation, the developer creates health IT modules, the modules tests based on the standards and certification, the certification body certifies the health IT modules, and then the hospital can use the IT module. More crucially, this certification gives assurance to the user that the purchased system meets the technological functionality, capability, and security requirements, making it possible for the patients and doctors to manage their care (Wager, Lee, & Glaser, 2017).

The 2015 Edition Test method provides the structure for which evaluation, and conformance of the health IT Module and it includes” test procedures, test tools, and test data. I have learnt that the procedures offer guidance to the testing laboratories and ensure consistency throughout the certification process. It is also important to point out that the health IT Module previously certified in 2014 Edition Criterion must be eligible to receive the gap certification. The test tools seek to find out whether the health IT conforms to the referenced standards.

In Step Three, the focus is on two certification requirements: privacy and security, and design and performance. The privacy and security requirement ensures that the product presented meets the criteria of authentication, access control, and authorization, automatic access time-outs, and integrity.” The design and performance certification standards are safety-enhanced design, a quality management system, and accessibility-centered design. I have learnt that all this process is necessary to ensure that the health IT product meets all these performance certifications and gives assurance of meeting the user’s needs. In Step Four, the electronic prescribing seeks to ensure that a user can perform prescription related electronic transactions such as creating, changing, or cancelling prescriptions or requests for medical history information. I believe that this is necessary to identify any problems with the Health IT product, ensuring that it meets the doctor-patient needs (Oemig & Snelick, 2016).

In the above process, I have learnt that the ONC Health IT Certification program plays a crucial role in the health care system and its role must be taken seriously. Health care providers and patients want to have the assurance and confidence that the IT product will work. Therefore, the ONC seeks to give assurance that the health system meets the “technological capability, functionality, and security requirements” ("ONC Health IT Certification Program | Policy Researchers & Implementers | HealthIT.gov", 2017). Such an assurance will give the health providers and patients the confidence that the system meets privacy and security requirements and can work with other systems to share vital health information.

The ONC is in charge of managing the overall program, and as pointed out earlier, it works in collaboration with other agencies and entities. The ONC approves, while NVLAP (National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program) will accredit, ONC-ATL (ONC-Authorized Testing Laboratory) will perform the testing ("About the ONC Health IT Certification Program | Policy Researchers & Implementers | HealthIT.gov", 2017). At this stage, the IT system will pass testing if it meets the certification criteria and standards, achieve certification, and then, the surveillance and certification results are posted on certified Health IT Product List (CHPL). Such a rigorous system ensures that all the system providers and patients use to meet all the standards and provide the assurance and confidence, two factors of significance in the Health Care system.

Figure 1. A Screenshot Of an example Message of A Test Case and Test Step

References

About the ONC Health IT Certification Program | Policy Researchers & Implementers | HealthIT.gov. (2017). Healthit.gov. Retrieved 15 August 2017, from https://www.healthit.gov/policy-researchers-implementers/about-onc-health-it-certification-program

Oemig, F., & Snelick, R. (2016). Testing and Certification Programs. In Healthcare Interoperability Standards Compliance Handboo. Springer International Publishing, pp. 559-589.

ONC Health IT Certification Program | Policy Researchers & Implementers | HealthIT.gov. (2017). Healthit.gov. Retrieved 15 August 2017, from https://www.healthit.gov/policy-researchers-implementers/onc-health-it-certification-program

Wager, K. A., Lee, F. W., & Glaser, J. P. (2017). Health care information systems: a practical approach for health care management. John Wiley & Sons.