FARMINGTON, CT – The Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission, a non-profit standards development organization and accrediting body, has developed a new accreditation program for application service providers for electronic health records.

The Application Service Provider Accreditation Program for Electronic Health Records (ASPAP-EHR) evaluates companies providing ASP-format EHRs against specific criteria covering privacy and confidentiality, technical performance, business processes, resources and security.

EHNAC officials say they hope to begin beta testing of the program this summer. They are seeking qualified organizations interested in participating as beta testing sites for the ASPAP-EHR program as well as the organization's health information exchange (HIE) accreditation program.

The draft criteria sets for both programs will be available online, where interested parties can provide opinions, comments and suggestions. The comment period will last 60 days and is expected to commence on Aug. 14, 2009, and end on Oct. 12, 2009.

The new programs are scheduled to fully launch in January 2010.

"With the swiftly-emerging legislation developments such as the HITECH Act and the calling for authoritative standards and regulations from various leaders at both the federal and state levels, there is a great sense of urgency for EHNAC to put a strong emphasis on addressing much-needed accreditation standards to ensure compliance and accountability," says Lee Barrett, executive director of EHNAC. "Our overarching goals are to improve transactional quality, operational efficiency and data security throughout all sectors that handle protected health information, and we anticipate our new programs will provide a greater level of confidence to all interacting parties at a time when the spotlight is truly upon them."