Meaningful Use Certification  
Meaningful Use Certification

All previous certifications are now void and no EMR product or software can claim to be certified for stimulus payments at this time. The organizations to test and certify electronic medical records systems are still being established by the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC). Please visit the official CMS website for further details on the certification process and timeline.

The final "meaningful use" requirements released on July 13, 2010 are divided into Core Set (15) and Menu Set (pick 5 of 10, include one population/public health measure) objectives.

  • The Core Set
    • Record patient demographics (sex, race, ethnicity, date of birth, preferred language). More than 50% of patients’ demographic data must be recorded as structured data.
    • Record vital signs and chart changes (height, weight, blood pressure, body mass index, growth charts for children). More than 50% of patients 2 years of age or older must have height, weight and blood pressure recorded as structured data.
    • Maintain up-to-date problem list of current and active diagnoses. More than 80% of patients must have at least one entry recorded as structured data.
    • Maintain an active medication list. More than 80% of patients must have at least one entry recorded as structured data.
    • Maintain an active medication allergy list. More than 80% of patients must have at least one entry recorded as structured data.
    • Record smoking status for patients 13 and older. More than 50% of patients age 13 or older must have smoking status recorded as structured data.
    • Provide patients with clinical summaries for each office visit. More than 50% of all visits must be provided with clinical summaries within 3 business days.
    • Upon request, provide patients with an electronic copy of their health information (including diagnostic test results, problem list, medication list, medication allergies). More than 50% of requesting patients must receive an electronic copy within 3 business days.
    • Generate and transmit permissible prescriptions electronically. More than 40% must be transmitted electronically using certified EMR technology.
    • Computerized Provider Order Entry for Medication Orders. More than 30% of patients with at least one medication in their medication list must have at least one medication ordered through CPOE.
    • Implement drug-drug and drug-allergy interaction checks. Functionality must be enabled for these checks for the entire reporting period.
    • Implement capability to electronically exchange key clinical information among providers and patient-authorized entities. Must perform at least one test of the EMR's capacity to electronically exchange information.
    • Implement one clinical decision support rule and track compliance with that rule. One rule must be implemented.
    • Implement systems to protect privacy and security of patient data in the EHR. Must conduct or review a security risk analysis, implement security updates as necessary and correct identified security deficiencies.
    • Report clinical quality measures to CMS or states. For 2011, provide aggregate numerator and denominator through attestation whereas for 2012, electronically submit measures.

  • The Menu Set
    • Implement drug formulary checks. Drug formulary check system must be implemented and access at least one internal or external drug formulary during the reporting period.
    • Incorporate clinical laboratory test results into EHRs as structured data. More than 40% of clinical laboratory test results are in positive/negative or numerical format and are incorporated into EHRs as structured data.
    • Generate lists of patients by specific conditions for use for quality improvement, reduction of disparities, research or outreach. Must generate one listing of patients with a specific condition.
    • Use EHR technology to identify patient-specific education resources and provide those to the patient as appropriate. More than 10% of patients are provided patient specific education resources.
    • Perform Medication reconciliation between care settings. Medication reconciliation must be performed for more than 50% of transitions of care.
    • Provide summary of care record for patients referred or transitioned to another provider or setting. Summary of care record must be provided for more than 50% of patient transitions or referrals.
    • Submission of electronic immunization data to immunization registries or immunization information systems. Must perform at least one test of data submission and follow-up submission (where registries can accept electronic data).
    • Submission of electronic syndrome surveillance data to public health agencies. Must perform at least one test of data submission and follow-up submission (where public health agencies can accept electronic data).
    • Send reminders to patients (as per patient preference) for preventative and follow-up care. More than 20% of patients aged 65 or older or age 5 or younger must be sent appropriate reminders.
    • Provide patients with timely electronic access to their health information (including laboratory results, problem list, medication list, medication allergies). More than 10% of patients must be provided with electronic access to information within 4 days of its being updated in the EHR.


As it can be seen, our software already has many of the features required for meaningful use of the technology. And for the features that are currently absent or partially present, we are already working on to fill out the gap as much as possible. We expect to get our modules certified in the first quarter of 2011 to coincide with the government offering of stimulus to medical professionals sometime that same year. Note that the stimulus payments are to be granted on a yearly basis with the total amount spread over five years. As such, you have the entire 2011 to attest your meaningful use and avail the incentive payment for that year. In case you decide to implement UniCharts now, you will be able to upgrade your installation WITHOUT ANY CHARGE as soon as the certified version becomes available. Similarly, all our existing users with valid annual support would also be able to upgrade their installations without charge as soon as the certified version of the software becomes available.

Please be aware that:
  1. The stimulus money is not tied to what you pay for the EMR product. Once certified, UniCharts would be as eligible for stimulus money as any other electronic medical record software. As such, by implementing our low-cost software you would actually be saving a large part out of what money you may get from the government. You can either use this money on improving other aspects of your practice's workflow or just keep it as remuneration for all the past efforts and expenses that you may have made to digitize medical records in your practice.

  2. While we are fully committed to ensure that our software meets federal requirements in time for our users to avail the stimulus, purchasing an EMR product solely on its capacity to make you eligible for stimulus money is just not wise. The product must first be usable by you and your staff, and no certification will ever be able to certify usability of a product. A wrong selection, regardless of its tag price, would potentially cost you many times the stimulus money in terms of disrupted workflow, loss of good staff or partners, damaged patient relationship and reduced charge capture.


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