FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 26, 2009
Media Contacts:
Vanessa Kmet, NexTech, (813) 425-9200, teammktg@nextech.com
John Morrissey, CCHIT, (312) 674-4934, jmorrissey@cchit.org
NEXTECH’S PRACTICE 2010 RECEIVES 08 CCHIT CERTIFICATION
Software Complies with Updated Interoperability Requirements
June 26, 2009 – The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT®) today announced that NexTech’s product Practice 2010 9.3 is a CCHIT Certified® 08 Ambulatory EHR, and meets the Certification Commission’s electronic health record (EHR) criteria for office-based use. Ambulatory EHRs are designed for physician offices and clinics where most Americans get their healthcare. The Commission – a private, nonprofit organization – is the Recognized Certification Body in the United States for certifying health information technology products.
“Two key new areas of interoperability are required to achieve 08 certification,” said Mark Leavitt, M.D., Ph.D., chair, CCHIT. "First, ambulatory EHRs must be capable of advanced electronic prescribing functions so physicians can qualify for bonuses under Medicare’s new incentive program. Second, EHRs must be able to send and receive an electronic patient summary. These and other new criteria will ensure that certified health IT products help improve quality, safety and efficiency while protecting the privacy of health information.”
In the third year of the program’s operation, the criteria and testing have been significantly updated again to provide physicians with more assurance that certified products will meet their needs for functionality, interoperability and security. The Commission added 19 criteria to the 200 required in 2007. Those changes were focused on the ability to exchange patient information with other systems. A CCHIT Certified 08 Ambulatory EHR ensures:
- Additional electronic prescribing features: access to the patient’s medication history, formulary, and eligibility.
- Better and safer medication dosing, adjusted for patient weight and other factors.
- Better ability to prevent adverse reactions due to drug interactions or allergies.
- Use of standard formats to exchange basic patient information for continuity of care.
- Enhanced ability to view X-rays and other diagnostic images.
- Better management of patient consents and authorizations.
- Increased use of standard formats when receiving and storing laboratory results.
As a CCHIT Certified product, Practice 2010 has been tested and passed inspection of 100 percent of these new criteria.
“Achieving our CCHIT certification for Practice 2010 is a major milestone. We are very proud of this accomplishment,” said Kamal Majeed, Ph.D., NexTech President and CEO. “This certification confirms our team’s commitment to improve the quality of patient care for Dermatologists, Plastic Surgeons, Medical Spas, Refractive Surgeons and Bariatric Surgeons with a fully integrated EMR and Practice Management System. This process has allowed us to gain from the experience and wisdom of the CCHIT organization resulting in increased product robustness and advanced functionality, a true benefit to NexTech clients.”
The CCHIT Certified “seal of approval” for EHR products provides a consensus-based, government-recognized benchmark for ambulatory EHR products. By looking to products with the CCHIT Certified seal, physicians and other providers can reduce their risk in selecting an EHR product, allowing them to focus their evaluation on the special needs of their practices.
About NexTech
NexTech offers fully integrated Electronic Medical Records (EMR/EHR), Practice Management and Marketing software designed specifically for Dermatologists, Plastic Surgeons, Cosmetic Medical Practices, Medical Spas, Refractive Surgeons and Bariatric Surgeons.
NexTech Software is comprehensive and completely modular, serving a wide array of practices from the newest startup to the largest established enterprise. Our software features include Electronic Medical Records, Scheduling, Cosmetic Financial Accounting, E-Prescribing, Lab Integration, Insurance and Electronic Billing, Marketing, Inventory, Surgery Center Management, Spa Management, Contact Management, Patient and Prospect Tracking, Patient Education Forms, Skin Care Invoicing, Microsoft Word Mass Merge, Website Integration, Photo Archiving, and Links to PDA’s and Smart Phones.
NexTech Software continues to be recognized globally and used by over 2,500 physician clients and 15,000 in staff, practicing in the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, Middle East and Asia.
About CCHIT
The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT®) is a private, nonprofit organization that has been named by the federal government as the Recognized Certification Body for health information technology. Its mission is to accelerate the adoption of health information technology by creating a credible, sustainable certification program. The certification requirements are based on widely accepted industry standards and involve the work of hundreds of expert volunteers and input from a variety of stakeholders throughout the health care industry. More information on CCHIT and CCHIT Certified® products is available at www.cchit.org and at www.ehrdecisions.com.
“CCHIT®” and “CCHIT Certified®” are registered marks of the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology.