FARMINGTON, Conn. – January 18, 2010 – The Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC), a non-profit standards development organization and accrediting body, announced today the adoption of program criteria for 2010. Concluding a 60-day public comment period, EHNAC has finalized and adopted the enhanced criteria versions for the following programs:
- ASPAP-EHR – Application Service Provider Accreditation Program for Electronic Health Records
- ePAP – e-Prescribing Accreditation Program
- FSAP EHN – Financial Services Accreditation Program for Electronic Health Networks
- FSAP Lockbox – Financial Services Accreditation Program for Lockbox Services
- HNAP EHN – Healthcare Network Accreditation Program for Electronic Health Networks
- HNAP Medical Biller – Healthcare Network Accreditation Program for Medical Billers
- HNAP TPA – Healthcare Network Accreditation Program for TPAs
- HNAP-70 – Healthcare Network Accreditation Plus Select SAS 70©1 Criteria Program
- OSAP – Outsourced Services Accreditation Program2
“The criteria review and approval process is a crucial driver in EHNAC’s ongoing efforts to promote standards, administrative simplification and open competition in the marketplace,” says Mark Gingrich, commissioner and criteria committee chair of EHNAC. “In a climate where the need for industry standards and stakeholder cooperation has never held this level of significance, EHNAC has expanded its focus on the criteria development and review process.”
Beyond today’s criteria announcement, EHNAC has developed a separate set of draft criteria related to the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act that will be incorporated into each program’s criteria when federal regulations are finalized. More information can be found on EHNAC’s HITECH ARRA page.
EHNAC is in the process of developing draft criteria for Health Information Exchange (HIE) entities and has been facilitating industry collaboration on the content. It is expected that the HIE draft criteria will be released for 60-day public comment and review in February 2010 and finalized during the second quarter 2010.
EHNAC accreditation recognizes excellence in health data processing and transactions, and confirms compliance with industry-established standards and HIPAA regulations. Organizations that apply for accreditation or re-accreditation after Jan. 1, 2010 will now need to adhere to the enhanced criteria standards. Criteria for all EHNAC programs are posted online.
