Dermatology Criteria on CCHIT Agenda
 
The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT), the federally recognized body for testing and certifying electronic health records (EHRs), has announced it will develop dermatology-specific functionality criteria beginning in 2009. The CCHIT's decision was in part a response to an application from the American Academy of Dermatology with support from the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, the American Telemedicine Association, the Medical Dermatology Society, and the Society for Investigative Dermatology, as well as overwhelming support from the dermatology community and other key stakeholders.

The CCHIT will appoint a work group of volunteer providers, payers, HIT vendors, and other stakeholders to define those functions that will best help dermatologists enhance patient care quality and safety, improve practice efficiency, participate in clinical research, and maintain board certification. In addition to spurring EHR adoption by dermatologists, developing dermatology-specific certification criteria has the potential to facilitate EHR care coordination between and among dermatologists and nondermatologist physicians in various practice settings. The CCHIT is expected to launch the dermatology-specific EHR certification program in 2010.

Source: American Academy of Dermatology

(View the Daily News Archive)