Health IT Certification for eCQM Reporting
The ONC Health Information Technology Certification Program, a voluntary certification program administered by the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ASTP/ONC), ensures that health information technology (“health IT”) meets federally-required technological, capability, functionality, and security requirements. Under this program, health IT product developers certify health IT modules by demonstrating that they conform to certification criteria specified under the program.
The ONC Health IT Certification Program supports the availability of certified health IT for use under federal, state, and private programs. Those CMS programs include, but are not limited to, the Quality Payment Program, Inpatient Quality Reporting Program, and Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program.
ASTP/ONC aligns testing requirements for Health IT Modules with the certification criteria adopted by the Secretary, including criteria related to electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs). Only ASTP/ONC-approved test methods can be used to test products intended for certification in the ONC Health IT Certification Program (though any individual or organization may submit test methods to ASTP/ONC for approval). Currently, ASTP/ONC has approved the Cypress open source testing tool.
The test procedures and certification companion guides linked below are designed to aid stakeholders in the development and testing of health IT modules:
| Regulation Text Citation | Certification Criterion | Certification Companion Guide |
|---|---|---|
| § 170.315(c)(1) | CQMs – record and export | Guide |
| § 170.315(c)(2) | CQMs – import and calculate | Guide |
| § 170.315(c)(3) | CQMs – report | Guide |
| § 170.315(c)(4) | CQMs – filter | Guide |
Note. The certification criteria uses ‘CQMs’ when referencing eCQMs.
Visit ASTP/ONC’s Certification of Health IT webpage for detailed information on the ONC Health IT Certification Program and information on the ONC Health IT Certification Program Test Method.
Read the regulations impacting eCQM certification criteria in the ONC Health IT Certification Program:
- The Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Certification Program Updates, Algorithm Transparency, and Information Sharing (HTI-1) Final Rule made updates to standards referenced the “CQMs – filter” certification criterion in § 170.315(c)(4).
- The 21st Century Cures Act: Interoperability, Information Blocking, and the ONC Health IT Certification Program Final Rule (Cures Act Final Rule) made updates to the “CQMs—report” criterion in § 170.315(c)(3) to require that health IT developers use the CMS QRDA IG appropriate to the measures being submitted for testing and certification.
- The Information Blocking and the ONC Health IT Certification Program: Extension of Compliance Dates and Timeframes in Response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Interim Final Rule clarified that health IT developers with health IT certified to § 170.315(c)(3) as of June 30, 2020, would have to update such certified health IT to the revisions in the Cures Act Final Rule by December 31, 2022.
- Building on the previous edition of health IT certification criteria, the 2015 Edition Health Information Technology (Health IT) Certification Criteria, 2015 Edition Base Electronic Health Record (EHR) Definition, and ONC Health IT Certification Program Modifications Edition Final Rule adopted the current eCQM certification criteria in § 170.315(c)(1) - (4) to support providers' quality improvement activities and their ability to electronically generate CQM reports for reporting with certified health IT to programs such as the Quality Payment Program.
Use the Certified Health IT Product List (CHPL) to view health information technology successfully tested and certified for use.
Provide feedback on health IT certified to the eCQM certification at https://www.healthit.gov/topic/contact-us.