IRVINE, Calif., July 9, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT(r)) today announced that Abraxas' product Abraxas EMR (version 4.1) is a CCHIT Certified(r) 08 Ambulatory EHR, and meets the Certification Commission's electronic health record (EHR) criteria for office-based use. Ambulatory EHRs are designed for physician offices and clinics where most Americans get their healthcare. The Commission - a private, nonprofit organization - is the Recognized Certification Body in the United States for certifying health information technology products.
"Two key new areas of interoperability are required to achieve 08 certification," said Mark Leavitt, M.D., Ph.D., chair, CCHIT. "First, ambulatory EHRs must be capable of advanced electronic prescribing functions so physicians can qualify for bonuses under Medicare's new incentive program. Second, EHRs must be able to send and receive an electronic patient summary. These and other new criteria will ensure that certified health IT products help improve quality, safety and efficiency while protecting the privacy of health information."
In the third year of the program's operation, the criteria and testing have been significantly updated again to provide physicians with more assurance that certified products will meet their needs for functionality, interoperability and security. The Commission added 19 criteria to the 200 required in 2007. Those changes were focused on the ability to exchange patient information with other systems. A CCHIT Certified 08 Ambulatory EHR ensures:
- Additional electronic prescribing features: access to the patient's medication history, formulary, and eligibility.
- Better and safer medication dosing, adjusted for patient weight and other factors.
- Better ability to prevent adverse reactions due to drug interactions or allergies.
- Use of standard formats to exchange basic patient information for continuity of care.
- Enhanced ability to view X-rays and other diagnostic images.
- Better management of patient consents and authorizations.
- Increased use of standard formats when receiving and storing laboratory results.
As a CCHIT Certified product, Abraxas EMR (version 4.1) has been tested and passed inspection of 100 percent of these new criteria.
"We originally received our conditional CCHIT 08 certification in April 2009. We are pleased that the conditional status is now removed and that we are recognized by CCHIT as a fully certified ambulatory EHR software. We continue our commitment to the healthcare industry by keeping our software product on the leading edge and seeking upcoming certification requirements so that our clients can realize all the benefits of workflow automation and take advantage of government incentives made available to them," said Ariel Shenhar, CEO of Abraxas Medical Solutions, Inc.
The CCHIT Certified "seal of approval" for EHR products provides a consensus-based, government-recognized benchmark for ambulatory EHR products. By looking to products with the CCHIT Certified seal, physicians and other providers can reduce their risk in selecting an EHR product, allowing them to focus their evaluation on the special needs of their practices.
About Abraxas Medical Solutions, Inc.
Abraxas Medical Solutions, Inc. (Abraxas) located in Irvine, California, develops and markets electronic medical records (EMR) and practice management (PM) software to medical offices of different specialties nationwide.
About CCHIT
The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT(r)) is a private, nonprofit organization that has been named by the federal government as the Recognized Certification Body for electronic health records. Its mission is to accelerate the adoption of health information technology by creating a credible, sustainable certification program. The certification requirements are based on widely accepted industry standards and involve the work of hundreds of expert volunteers and input from a variety of stakeholders throughout the health care industry. More information on CCHIT and CCHIT Certified(r) products is available at www.cchit.org and at www.ehrdecisions.com.
"CCHIT(r)" and "CCHIT Certified(r)" are registered marks of the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology.