Healthcare Technology Featured Article

September 06, 2012

Verizon Division ICSA Labs Receives Go-Ahead to Certify Electronic Health Records


As electronic health records (EHR) ceases to be an idea and becomes reality, the tech industry has been striving to keep up with ways to support electronic records and all the other implications of using them, including security. ICSA Labs, an independent division of Verizon, is announcing this week that it has received authorization from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to certify electronic health records for the next stage of Meaningful Use requirements.

 “Meaningful use” of certified EHR technology is a core requirement for eligible healthcare providers and hospitals that wish to qualify for incentive payments under, for example, the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentive Programs as established through the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act.

This certification program was implemented by the Health and Human Services' Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) to strengthen the security of electronic health records, reduce operational costs, protect private patient information and help providers become “meaningful users.” The new Stage 2 requirements, which are expected to go into effect in early October, provide more transparency and elevate the overall testing and certification process by mandating additional requirements for organizations providing EHR services.   

“The latest round of federal requirements will enable us to help companies strengthen the security and privacy of their EHR offerings, ultimately benefitting both patient and health care provider,” said Amit Trivedi, healthcare program manager for ICSA Labs, in a press release this week.

ICSA Labs offers testing and certification programs that evaluate EHR technology based on ONC-approved test requirements. Since December 2011, ICSA Labs has been operating as a Stage 1 ONC Authorized Testing and Certification Body.

To be eligible for these programs, EHR vendors also have their products tested by laboratories accredited by the National Voluntary Lab Accreditation Program and certified by bodies authorized by the ONC and accredited by the American National Standards Institute. ICSA Labs recently earned accreditation from the National Voluntary Lab Accreditation Program and the American National Standards Institute.




Edited by Brooke Neuman
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