CMS, ONC propose tweaks to EHR regulations

A proposed federal rule nips and tucks previously issued regulations governing the testing, certification and use of electronic health record (EHR) systems. The proposed rule, issued jointly by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), tweaks several of the meaningful-use criteria that healthcare providers must meet to qualify for payment under the federal EHR incentive program.

Specifically, the proposed change will update what's called the data element catalogue, which identifies all of the data needed to calculate the clinical quality measures included among the federal EHR incentive payment program's meaningful-use requirements. Providers must demonstrate their meaningful use of certified EHR systems to qualify for incentive payments.