Standards News

EHRs get first CCHIT certification

The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) recently announced the first ambulatory electronic health record (EHR) products to attain CCHIT Certified status. Each system was tested on the following criteria: functionality — setting features and functions to meet a basic set of requirements, interoperability — enabling standards-based data exchange with other sources of healthcare information, and security — ensuring data privacy and robustness to prevent data loss.

Twenty EHR products achieved CCHIT CertifiedSM status. For the full list, visit: www.cchit.org/certified/2006/CCHIT+Certified+Products+by+Company.htm


NEMA unveils 2006 DICOM variation

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association has released a 16-part 2006 update of the DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) standard.

Of the new features, “dose reporting for radiation exposure will improve the documentation and quality of procedures,” said Peter Mildenberger, professor of radiology, University Hospital Mainz in German, and DICOM user co-chair. “The CT/MR cardiovascular analysis report will improve the workflow in computer-based evaluation, as well as communication of the results,” he added.

More information: www.nema.org/stds/ps3set.cfm or www.global.ihs.com


Health IT panel creating standards for national network

The Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel (HITSP) is developing high-level standards towards a nationwide health information network for the U.S. So far, 90 standards have been selected related to biosurveillance, consumer empowerment, and electronic healthcare records which have been identified by the American Health Information Community (AHIC). HITSP is tasked with harmonizing the standards required as part of a nationwide healthcare data network, and recently submitted an initial list of recommended standards.

Around the web

Positron, a New York-based nuclear imaging company, will now provide Upbeat Cardiology Solutions with advanced PET/CT systems and services. 

The nuclear imaging isotope shortage of molybdenum-99 may be over now that the sidelined reactor is restarting. ASNC's president says PET and new SPECT technologies helped cardiac imaging labs better weather the storm.

CMS has more than doubled the CCTA payment rate from $175 to $357.13. The move, expected to have a significant impact on the utilization of cardiac CT, received immediate praise from imaging specialists.