FARMINGTON, Conn., Jan. 22, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC), a non-profit standards development organization and accrediting body for organizations that electronically exchange healthcare data, announced today adoption of new program criteria versions for nearly all of the organization's accreditation programs. Applicant candidates beginning the accreditation process in 2015 will adhere to these updated criteria versions for their accreditation and/or re-accreditation.
Following the standard, 60-day public comment period, EHNAC's criteria committee has incorporated public feedback to finalize and adopt the enhanced and final criteria versions for the following 15 accreditation programs:
- ACOAP – Accountable Care Organization Accreditation Program (V1.0)
- DTAAP-CA – Direct Trusted Agent Accreditation Program for Certificate Authorities (V1.2)
- DTAAP-HISP – Direct Trusted Agent Accreditation Program for Health Information Service Providers (V1.2)
- DTAAP-RA – Direct Trusted Agent Accreditation Program for Registration Authorities (V1.2)
- ePAP-EHN – e-Prescribing Accreditation Program (V6.7)
- EPCSCP-Pharmacy – Electronic Prescription of Controlled Substances Certification Program – Pharmacy Vendor (V1.3)
- EPCSCP-Prescribing – Electronic Prescription of Controlled Substances Certification Program – Prescribing Vendor (V1.3)
- FSAP-EHN – Financial Services Accreditation Program for Electronic Health Networks (V2.7)
- FSAP-Lockbox – Financial Services Accreditation Program for Lockbox Services (V2.7)
- HIEAP – Health Information Exchange Accreditation Program (V1.6)
- HNAP-EHN – Healthcare Network Accreditation Program for Electronic Health Networks [Includes Payer] (V10.7)
- HNAP-Medical Biller – Healthcare Network Accreditation Program for Medical Billers (V1.6)
- HNAP-TPA – Healthcare Network Accreditation Program for Third Party Administrators (V1.6)
- MSOAP – Management Service Organization Accreditation Program (V1.5)
- OSAP – Outsourced Services Accreditation Program1 (V1.7)
The EHNAC criteria for each of its accreditation programs sets the foundational requirements for measuring an organization's ability to meet federal and state healthcare reform mandates such as HIPAA, Omnibus, ARRA/HITECH, ACA and other mandates for covered entities and business associates focusing on the areas of privacy, security, confidentiality, best practices, procedures and assets.
Within each of these programs, the latest versions include new criteria regarding the use of Cloud Service Providers, as well as a range of advancements and updates. Additionally, there were modifications made to the OSAP program for outsourced HIE Technology Providers, as well as significant changes to the DTAAP-HISP program to further qualify HISPs – including the support for DirectTrust's new HISP Policy.
Visit www.ehnac.org for more details or to review the latest EHNAC criteria versions in full detail.
1OSAP includes 10 different accreditation programs tailored for Accountable Care Organizations, Call Centers, Data Centers, DRP Facilities, Health Information Exchange, 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 accountable care organizations, electronic health networks, EPCS vendors, eprescribing solution providers, financial services firms, health information exchanges, health information service providers, management service organizations, medical billers, outsourced service providers, payers, practice management system vendors and third-party administrators.
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. To learn more, visit www.ehnac.org, contact info@ehnac.org, or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.