ANSI Accredits First Five Health IT Certification Bodies

The American National Standards Institute has accredited its first five health information technology certification bodies.

ANSI has accredited these organizations under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) Permanent Certification Program for Health Information Technology (HIT). The organizations can test and certify electronic health record (EHT) technology.

The aim of the certification process is to make sure providers deliver accurate, transparent, efficient and reliable products.

“Accreditation by ANSI creates a valuable distinction for these five certification bodies," Lane Hallenbeck, ANSI vice president of accreditation services, said. "The ONC program helps to instill confidence in EHR technology among health IT developers, health professionals and hospitals, and the general public.”

The Accreditation Committee has confirmed the following organizations: Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT), Drummond Group, ICSA Laboratories, InfoGard Laboratories and Orion Register.

"We appreciate and respect the ONC's trust in the value and integrity of ANSI accreditation, and are committed to build on the record of confidence established via public-private partnerships with many other government agencies relying on ANSI accreditation," Hallenback said.

“As we move toward becoming an ONC-authorized certification and testing body under the final rule of the Permanent Certification Program, both the ANSI and NVLAP accreditations are a step toward this goal," Rik Drummond, CEO of Drummond Group, said. “Currently, we are in the process of preparing for the ONC 2014 edition of EHR certification criteria and will deliver new testing and certification events soon after ONC issues its final rule and test procedures. In the meantime, Drummond Group continues testing and certifying the ONC 2011 edition within the Temporary Program as an ONC-ATCB until new authorization is announced."

Beyond these first five entities, ANSI is also currently granting certification to other organizations interested in becoming accredited under the program to certify EHR technologies.

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