ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--McKesson’s Horizon Ambulatory Care™ outpatient electronic health record (EHR) has received Complete EHR certification — deeming the software capable of enabling providers to meet the Stage 1 meaningful use measures required to qualify for funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Tested and certified under the Drummond Group's Electronic Health Records Office of the National Coordinator Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ATCB) program, the EHR software is 2011/2012 compliant in accordance with the criteria adopted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
“ARRA provides a unique opportunity for health systems and physician practices to deploy IT systems that support their clinicians and staff in delivering high-quality, cost-effective care,” said Gerry McCarthy, vice president of Horizon Physician Solutions, McKesson Provider Technologies. “With its comprehensive functionality and advanced workflow capabilities, Horizon Ambulatory Care is an ideal solution for healthcare organizations that see the value of an integrated, holistic approach to clinical care across settings. This certification reflects our commitment to support our customers in their goal to achieve meaningful use and optimize the patient experience.”
Drummond Group’s ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 certification program tests and certifies that EHRs meet the meaningful use criteria for either eligible provider or hospital technology. In turn, healthcare providers using the EHR systems of certified vendors are qualified to receive federal stimulus monies upon demonstrating meaningful use of the technology — a key component of the federal government’s push to improve clinical care delivery through the adoption and effective use of EHRs by U.S. healthcare providers.
“The need for EHRs in the U.S. healthcare system has been acknowledged for many years. Drummond Group is proud to work with leading healthcare vendors and help them offer certified technologies to health providers across the country. With more than 10 years of software testing experience carried out in several industries and with sophisticated software systems, we are confident in our ability to offer an effective and cost-efficient testing process to the healthcare industry,” says Rik Drummond, CEO of Drummond Group. “The snowball effect could mean great things for clinical care in our country. We can help IT vendors certify their EHR systems – vendors can then help providers implement the EHR solutions to achieve meaningful use and receive incentive funds – and ultimately providers can leverage the systems to improve clinical care across the nation.”
“Certification is important for us and for our customers, but it is only a part of our larger strategy to deliver advanced, integrated clinical IT solutions that meet the evolving needs of health systems and physician practices,” added McCarthy. “With the depth of McKesson’s connectivity capabilities facilitating health information exchange and the breadth of functionality in our clinical solutions – both outpatient and inpatient – we believe our customers are well positioned to deliver the highest-quality and most cost-efficient care to their patients in every setting.”
For the latest information on EHRs certified under the ONC-ATCB program, visit the Certified HIT Product List (CHPL) web site.
About McKesson
McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 14th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high-quality healthcare by reducing costs, streamlining processes, and improving the quality and safety of patient care. Over the course of its 178-year history, McKesson has grown by providing pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management across the spectrum of care; healthcare information technology for hospitals, physicians, homecare and payers; hospital and retail pharmacy automation; and services for manufacturers and payers designed to improve outcomes for patients. For more information, visit http://www.mckesson.com.
“This Complete EHR is 2011/2012 compliant and has been certified by an ONC-ATCB in accordance with the applicable certification criteria adopted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. This certification does not represent an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or guarantee the receipt of incentive payments.”
McKesson’s Horizon Ambulatory Care 10.3.1 release was certified as a complete ambulatory EHR on January 26, 2011, Certification ID# 01262011-1059-8.