EHNAC creating data registry accreditation program

The Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC) is developing an accreditation program for data registries to ensure that these entities meet the privacy and security obligations expected of all large-scale handlers of protected health information (PHI). EHNAC's Data Registry Accreditation Program (DRAP) will establish a trust framework between stakeholders to ensure a common level of system functionality across the industry. 

The non-profit, federally recognized standards development organization and accrediting body for organizations that electronically exchange healthcare data is designing a program for data exchange services including health information exchanges, regional extension centers, providers payers, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and other state and government entities, according to a release.

"CMS's mandated use of Qualified Data Registries to report Clinical Quality Measures (CQMs) associated with Meaningful Use, PQRS, GPRO, DSRIP, HEDIS, CHIPRA, etc. spotlights the need to ensure that these entities meet the industry needs in the areas of privacy, security and key operational functions, just as we would traditional vendors," said Lee Barrett, executive director of EHNAC.

Several new registries are being established as part of the proposed Meaningful Use Stage 3 rules such as Immunization Registry, Syndromic Surveillance Registry, Case Reporting Registry, Other Public Health Registries, Clinical Data Registry and Lab Registry. There is also the capacity for specialist providers to create their own registry dedicated to gathering, sharing and reporting on specific conditions, syndromes and diseases.

These registries will handle the most sensitive patient data and be used to help meet the goal of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services of tying 30 percent of traditional, or fee-for-service, Medicare payments to quality or value through alternative payment models, such as accountable care organizations (ACOs) or bundled payment arrangements by the end of 2016, and tying 50 percent of payments to these models by the end of 2018. In response to this new provider payment structure, EHNAC anticipates that the need for registries by institutional and professional providers, specialists and their trade associations, healthcare payers, federal and state governments will explode in the next few years.

Barrett continued: "Unfortunately, there has been no means to determine if these registries have the necessary protections in place to handle the many privacy and security challenges that they will face. This is the reason why EHNAC is developing this program--to offer the same level of privacy and security assurances through accreditation that have driven other healthcare sectors for more than 20 years."