e-MDs Solution Series Receives CCHIT Certification
Software complies with 100 percent of certification criteria
July 18, 2006 – The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHITSM) today announced that e-MDs, Inc. is CCHIT CertifiedSM for its product, e-MDs Solution Series 6.1 and meets CCHIT ambulatory electronic health record (EHR) criteria for 2006. Ambulatory EHRs are designed for physician offices and clinics where most Americans get their healthcare. CCHIT is the recognized authority in the United States for certifying EHR products – an independent, nonprofit, public/private organization that sets the benchmark for healthcare information technology.
As a CCHIT Certified product, e-MDs Solution Series 6.1 has been tested and passed inspection of 100 percent of a comprehensive set of criteria for:
- functionality (ability to create and manage electronic records for all patients, as well as automating workflow in a physician’s office),
- interoperability (ability to receive and send electronic data to other entities such as laboratories), and
- security (ability to keep patients’ information safe).
The CCHIT Certified mark — a “seal of approval” for EHR products — provides the first consensus-based, consistent benchmark for ambulatory products. By looking to products with the CCHIT Certified seal, physicians and other providers can be assured they are making a reliable investment and insurers and other payers know the products meet expected industry standards.
“Physician who purchase certified products have the assurance that they have been reviewed by a panel of judges, including practicing physicians, and that they are being evaluated against standards set by professionals in the field and successfully piloted with products from large and small companies,” said Mark Leavitt, M.D., Ph.D., chair, CCHIT. “The quality and safety of EHR products can now be measured using certification criteria that were developed specifically for that purpose.”
"e-MDs is extremely pleased to be in the first batch of ambulatory EHRs certified by CCHIT. This is a testament to the high development standards we have always had with a particular focus on driving clinical quality and workflow while remaining easy to use. This is further validation that e-MDs is one of the most comprehensive and useable systems available regardless of price point". said, Patrick Hall, EVP, VP of Practice Management.
The goals of CCHIT product certification are to reduce the risk of HIT investment by physicians and other providers; ensure interoperability of HIT products; enhance the availability of HIT adoption incentives from purchasers and payers; and protect the privacy of personal health information.
CCHIT’s certification compliance criteria and its design for a certification inspection process have been thoroughly researched, taking into account the state of the art of EHRs and available standards, and comparing certification processes in other industries and other countries. The inspection process is based on real-life medical scenarios designed to test products rigorously against the clinical needs of providers and the quality and safety needs of healthcare consumers and payers. One script, for example, recreates a scenario of an elderly man with poorly controlled diabetes, hypertension and other chronic conditions in order to test EHR functions such as potential adverse drug reactions, disease management and treatment plans.
About e-MDs
e-MDs is a leading developer of healthcare software solutions. Through e-MDs Solution Series they offer an integrated line of clinical, financial, and document management modules designed to automate medical practice processes and chart management. With their goal of improving patient care, decreasing physician errors, and increasing practice income, e-MDs has enjoyed one of the most rapid growths in the industry. Their sales growth is testament to a zealous focus on building the finest integrated EMR and practice management system, and offering it at a price any office can afford. For more information on e-MDs and CCR visit www.e-MDs.com.
About CCHIT
CCHIT was founded in 2004 with support from three leading industry associations in healthcare information management and technology – The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) and The National Alliance for Health Information Technology (Alliance). In September 2005, CCHIT was awarded a contract by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to develop, create prototypes for, and evaluate the certification criteria and inspection process for EHRs and the networks through which they interoperate. More information on CCHIT and a list of CCHIT Certified products is available at www.cchit.org.
Media Contacts:
Amy Eastman, e-MDs, Inc., 512-623-6932 aeastman@e-mds.com
C. Sue Reber, CCHIT, 503-703-0813 sreber@cchit.or