Why Certification

According to Health and Human Services (HHS), we certify our products because:

"Certification of Health IT will provide assurance to purchasers and other users that an EHR system, or other relevant technology, offers the necessary technological capability, functionality, and security to help them meet the meaningful use criteria established for a given phase. Providers and patients must also be confident that the electronic health IT products and systems they use are secure, can maintain data confidentially, and can work with other systems to share information. Confidence in health IT systems is an important part of advancing health IT system adoption and allowing for the realization of the benefits of improved patient care.

Eligible professionals and eligible hospitals who seek to qualify for incentive payments under the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs are required by statute to use Certified EHR Technology. Once certified, Complete EHRs and EHR Modules would be able to be used by eligible professionals and eligible hospitals, or be combined, to meet the statutory requirement for Certified EHR Technology."

What is CCHIT (Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology) Certification ?

The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) is an independent, not-for-profit group that certifies electronic health records (EHR) and networks for health information exchange (HIE) in the United States. CCHIT's stated mission is to speed the adoption of health information technology (HIT).

Use of ONC-ATCB certified EHR technology is a required first step in qualifying eligible healthcare providers for incentive funding available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The purose of ONC-ATCB certification is to certify EHR technology for eligible providers and hospitals in accordance with the HHS certification criteria, and provide additional assurance of an EHR’s functions, interoperability and security through our independently developed programs.

Silk's Unique Role in CCHIT Certification

Brandon Bates
In 2009, senior Silk architect Brandon Bates was chosen from a pool of 300 applicants to serve as a member of the CCHIT Advanced Interoperability Work Group, one of 19 groups under the CCHIT umbrella that advises the government on health information technology policy, requirements and compliance standards, helping drive the direction of healthcare technology in the U.S.

The Advanced Interoperability Work Group applies newly approved healthcare standards to recommend optional criteria and technical testing to certify advanced EHR technology that demonstrates compliance above and beyond current certification programs. We are proud to have Brandon on the Silk team!