West Virginia REC Selects athenahealth's EHR

The Watertown, Mass.-based athenahealth, Inc. announced its EHR service platform, athenaClinicals, has been selected by the Charleston-based West Virginia Regional Health Information Technology Extension Center (WVRHITEC) as a Five Star vendor in its EHR Vendor Recognition Program (VRP).

WVRHITEC is a federally funded project to assist health care providers with electronic health record use and to prepare them to qualify for federal EHR incentive payments. The center’s VRP is designed to help connect health care providers interested in acquiring an EHR system with vendors who have met certain thresholds of clinical functionality and service developed by the WVRHITEC, as well as The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) requirements for providers to achieve “Meaningful Use.” Five Star recognition is the WVRHITEC’s highest level under its EHR VRP. Five Star vendors, such as athenahealth, were designated following a market research review, an open request for Information (RFI), and an evaluation by the WVRHITEC’s staff and physician advisers. The WVRHITEC will work closely with vendors through the implementation process.

Through June 30, 2011, physicians on the athenahealth network can participate in the Company’s own federal stimulus bonus payment guarantee program. This program ensures the Company’s web-based services will help providers nationwide, including those in West Virginia, meet EHR certification requirements for achieving Meaningful Use and thereby qualify for HITECH reimbursement funds.