Winter 2012 Update
To help our customers interested in pursuing Meaningful Use Certification, SMART is fully committed to achieving full ONC-ATCB Ambulatory EHR 2011/2012 Certification for our SMART Software. Full certification requires complete compliance with 33 individual criteria. SMART achieved compliance with 16 of the 33 in August of 2011. We are very pleased to announce that this month we increased our modular certification to 24 criteria of the 33. You can find details regarding our Software certification status by following this link to the certification criteria detail view.
Fall 2012 Update
Dear Valued Customers:
The initial stage for ONC standards sunsets Oct 4, 2012. Known as the “temporary certification program” or “Stage 1”, it has been replaced by the “Stage 2” standards, published on September 7, 2012 and take effect Oct 4. The new rule removes the “temporary” designation; it is now referred to as the ONC HIT Certification Program. The new rule also renamed “Stage 1” and “Stage 2” to the “2011 Edition” and “2014 Edition”, respectively.
The main focus of the 2014 Edition rules is upon interoperability. That is, the secure transport of data between multiple third parties. The original 2011 rules focused upon common coding, language and structure of data. The 2014 Edition rules focus upon the ability to share (transmit) that coded, formatted data between providers. The third stage, currently in its early planning phase, will focus on patient self-management and access to comprehensive health record data.
Under the 2011 rules, an EP who received their first year of funding during 2012 or 2013 would have had to report over the entire 2014 calendar year. Under the 2014 rules, the provider now only has to demonstrate meaningful use for 90 days during 2014 as well. This provision is intended to allow time for adoption of the new 2014 Edition standards and is extended to all providers, even those who would be in their second or third year of meaningful use funding.
An EP can receive meaningful use funding during 2013, using an EHR that is certified to the 2011 Edition standards. To qualify, the EP must attest to the use of the fully-certified EHR and, sometime in 2013, must demonstrate their meaningful use by reporting on clinical quality measures over a 90-day period during the 2013 calendar year. To qualify, or remain qualified, after Jan 1, 2014, by then an eligible provider (EP) must be meaningfully using an EHR that is fully certified to the 2014 Edition standards.
Warm regards,
Paul R. LeBeau
MBA
Vice President, Software Division
SMART Management, Inc.
Spring 2012 Update
Dear Valued Customers:
By now, you are no doubt familiar with the government incentives being offered with respect to meaningful use of electronic health record technology.
In January of this year, SMART issued a communiqué that provided our customers with some background information regarding the Health Information Technology Plan, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the “meaningful use” certification required to obtain those incentives. For first-hand information from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services website, follow this link.
In January, SMART set its sights on the target of achieving full ONC-ATCB Certification by April 2012. We are very pleased to announce to all our valued customers that we have made significant progress towards that goal. On August 25, 2011, we made it to the halfway mark, meeting 17 of the 34 total requirements and achieving 2011/2012 Ambulatory EHR Modular Certification. You can find details regarding our certification status by following this link.
Still set on the goal of achieving full certification by April 2012, we are now working on the remaining 17 criteria. We will keep you posted on our progress. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact our Customer Relations Team.
Warm regards,
Paul R. LeBeau
MBA
Vice President, Software Division
SMART Management, Inc.
