AMA commends ONC for enhanced oversight of electronic health records

The American Medical Association (AMA) today applauded the steps taken by the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) to strengthen the monitoring and testing of certified electronic health records (EHRs) and supports ONC’s general framework laid out in its recently released final rule.

“These rules will promote health IT developers’ accountability for the performance, reliability, and safety of certified health IT,” said Dr. Steven J. Stack, immediate past president of the AMA. “Physicians are captive to the IT products, and these steps will give regulatory certainty to them. Increasing the accountability and transparency of health IT certification will give assurances to physicians as they modernize their practices. While we do not expect a large number of non-conformity instances or adjustments to vendors’ health IT certification, we agree more emphasis must be placed on supporting the physician as an end-user and furthering their consumer power.”