ONC Offers Guidance To Providers Ineligible For MU

As it works to broaden health information exchange capabilities across the care continuum, the Office of the National Coordinator has drawn up a certification guidance aimed at technology developers serving specialized providers who are ineligible for Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive payments.

ONC officials say the guidance is meant to "serve as a building block for federal agencies and stakeholders" as they work with different communities to achieve interoperable electronic health information exchange.

It identifies the 2014 Edition EHR certification criteria that specifically focus on interoperability, seeking to "open critical communication lines between eligible and ineligible health care providers in order to support broad healthcare goals, such as care coordination and reduced hospital readmissions."