Integration engines are at the core of transmitting data, both internally and externally. Many Meaningful Use requirements rely on the transmission of data. The CMS recently addressed the question of whether the integration engine must itself be a certified technology.
The above graphic really says it all. The information was taken from the CMS website, FAQ number 3211.
- A provider uses Meaningful Use-certified EHR technology to generate immunization information, but uses an uncertified integration engine to transmit the immunization information to the state.
- Based on FAQ 3211 highlighted above, the providers would not be able to successfully demonstrate Meaningful Use.
As proof to the critical nature of the integration engine, Corepoint Health customer Hancock Regional Hospital (Greenfield, Ind.) was audited by the CMS for Meaningful Use compliance. One of the focus points of the audit was whether Corepoint Integration Engine was preventing them from successfully demonstrating Meaningful Use.
“We were audited by the CMS for our Meaningful Use Stage 1 attestation. One of the key areas of focus for the auditors was the certification status of the integration engine. Corepoint Health worked closely with us to ensure that we were able to successfully demonstrate Meaningful Use while using Corepoint Integration Engine.”
Areas where FAQ 3211 would apply to integration engines:
Public Health Reporting
Integration engines are commonly used to provide the transport of required public health information to the state. Because each state may have unique transport requirements for the reports, providers often find it more effective to leverage the flexibility of the integration engine to establish these communications.
Using an integration engine to transmit Public Health reporting impacts the following Meaningful Use criteria:
- Transmission to Immunization Registries
- Transmission to Public Health Agencies – Syndromic Surveillance
- Transmission of Reportable Laboratory Tests and Values/Results
- Transmission to Cancer Registries
Community Connectivity Public Health Reporting
Integration engines are also commonly used to establish communications with the provider community, once again leveraging the flexibility of the integration engine. The integration engine can be useful in managing the HISP requirements established for the Direct Project protocol introduced in Meaningful Use Stage 2, as well as providing alternatives for query-based communications. Meaningful Use criteria impacted by the use of an integration engine for connecting to the community include:
- Transitions of Care – receive, display, and incorporate transition of care/referral summaries
- Transitions of Care – create and transmit transition of care/referral summaries
- Transmission of Electronic Laboratory Tests and Values/Results to Ambulatory Providers
The seven criteria listed above are criteria that a certified Complete EHR could validly complete. However, if an integration engine is instead used to perform these criteria, then the integration engine must achieve Modular EHR certification for this criteria as well.
Corepoint Health has taken the required steps to ensure that using Corepoint Integration Engine does not prevent the provider from successfully achieving Meaningful Use. Corepoint Integration Engine not only has been certified for the key criteria above, but also has passed critical Privacy and Security criteria to help ensure that data is not compromised.
Corepoint Integration Engine’s Meaningful Use Certifications:
Transitions of Care
- 170.314(b)(1) Transitions of care – receive, display and incorporate transition of care/referral summaries
- 170.314(b)(2) Transitions of care – create and transmit transition of care/referral summaries
Lab Results (eligible hospitals sending lab results to eligible physicians)
- 170.314(b)(6) Transmission of electronic laboratory tests and values/results to ambulatory providers
Privacy and Security
- 170.314(d)(1) Authentication, access, control, and authorization
- 170.314(d)(5) Automatic log-off
- 170.314(d)(6) Emergency access
- 170.314(d)(7) End-user device encryption
- 170.314(d)(8) Integrity
Public Health Reporting
- 170.314(f)(2) Transmission to immunization registries
- 170.314(f)(3) Transmission to public health agencies – syndromic surveillance
- 170.314(f)(4) Transmission of reportable laboratory tests and values/results
Metrics and Quality
- 170.314(g)(1) Automated numerator recording
- 170.314(g)(4) Quality management system
