ehr onc final certification - Department of Health Care Services

equire EHRs to build custom interfaces to every lab. They recommended that we
require that Certified EHR Technology provide the ability to link the results to the
original order. Another commenter recommended that the certification criterion include
the requirement for standardized bi-directional laboratory interfaces, including
functionality pertinent to all the laboratory order data needed for the laboratory to
conduct proper testing, patient matching and billing (including limited coverage rules and
printing of Advance Beneficiary Notices (ABNs)).
Response. In the certification criterion discussed above regarding incorporating
laboratory test results, we have required that Certified EHR Technology be capable of
electronically attributing, associating, or linking a laboratory test result to a laboratory
order or patient record. Bidirectional exchange (including electronic transmission of
laboratory orders) is not a requirement of meaningful use Stage 1 and is beyond the scope
of this rule.
Comments. Several commenters recommended we clarify that the user of CPOE
includes the eligible professional and any authorized user in the office of the eligible
professional (EP). They also recommended that CPOE be deemed to include the scenario
in which only the actual orders are entered by the EP, with the additional billing and
demographic information entered by authorized users in the EP’s office or even by third
parties (e.g. laboratory personnel in the patient service center of a laboratory that collects
specimens from the patient).
Response. As we stated in an earlier response, the standards, implementation
specifications, and certification criteria adopted in this final rule apply to Complete EHRs
and EHR Modules. We have focused on whether Certified EHR Technology must
Page 127 of 228