EHNAC Releases 2013 Criteria For All Accreditation Programs

The Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC), a non-profit standards development organization and accrediting body, announced recently the adoption of new program criteria for 2013. All of these accreditation programs support health care reform legislative mandates and industry stakeholders. Following the standard, 60-day public comment period, EHNAC has incorporated feedback to finalize and adopt the enhanced criteria versions for the following programs:

1. ePAP – e-Prescribing Accreditation Program (Version 6.4)
2. EPCSCP-Pharmacy – Electronic Prescriptions for Controlled Substances Certification Program for Pharmacy Vendors1 (Version 1.0)
3. EPCSCP-Prescribing – Electronic Prescriptions for Controlled Substances Certification Program for Prescribing Vendors1 (Version 1.0)
4. FSAP EHN – Financial Services Accreditation Program for Electronic Health Networks (Version 2.4)
5. FSAP Lockbox – Financial Services Accreditation Program for Lockbox Services (Version 2.4)
6. HIEAP – Health Information Exchange Accreditation Program (Version 1.2)
7. HNAP EHN – Healthcare Network Accreditation Program for Electronic Health Networks2 (Version 10.4)
8. HNAP Medical Biller – Healthcare Network Accreditation Program for Medical Billers (Version 1.3)
9. HNAP TPA – Healthcare Network Accreditation Program for Third Party Administrators (Version 1.3)
10. OSAP – Outsourced Services Accreditation Program3 (Version 1.3)
11. OSAP HIE – Outsourced Services Accreditation Program for Health Information Exchange Services (Version 1.2)

“The continually changing nature of healthcare reform and the industry of data exchange require our organization, and the thorough standards of criteria we base industry accreditation programs upon, to evolve as well,” says Mark Gingrich, EHNAC Commissioner and Criteria Committee Chair. “This is a process to which EHNAC and its stakeholders place an exceptional focus and dedication. We’re committed to reviewing and updating our program criteria to fill the needs and requirements of all areas in health data processing and exchange.”

EHNAC accreditation recognizes excellence in health information exchange and transactions, and confirms compliance with industry-established standards and healthcare regulatory reform measures. Organizations that apply for accreditation or re-accreditation after Jan. 1, 2013 will now need to adhere to the enhanced criteria standards. Criteria for all EHNAC programs are posted online.

¹EHNAC is in the process of applying to the DEA to become an approved EPCS certifier. Until finalized, these programs will be administered exclusively by CISA certified auditors.

²Criteria for Healthcare Network Accreditation Program for Payer-Owned Electronic Health Networks (HNAP Payer) is included.

³OSAP includes eight different accreditation programs tailored for Call Centers, Data Centers, DRP Facilities, Media Storage, Network Administrators, Printing, Product Development and Scanning.

About EHNAC
The Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC) is a voluntary, self-governing standards development organization (SDO) established to develop standard criteria and accredit organizations that electronically exchange healthcare data. These entities include electronic health networks, payers, financial services firms, health information exchanges, medical billers, outsourced services and e-prescribing solution providers.

EHNAC was founded in 1993 and is a tax-exempt 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization. Guided by peer evaluation, the EHNAC accreditation process promotes quality service, innovation, cooperation and open competition in healthcare. For more information, visit www.ehnac.org