Surescripts becomes ONC's sixth certifier

Surescripts, the Arlington, Va.-based for-profit electronic prescribing network created by pharmacy associations and several of the largest pharmacy benefits managers, has been named an authorized testing and certification body by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology at HHS.

It becomes the sixth organization eligible to test and certify whether electronic health-record systems meet the meaningful-use requirements necessary to qualify for IT subsidies included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The other organizations, however, have a "scope of authorization" that includes "complete EHR and EHR modules," while Surescripts' scope is listed as "e-prescribing, privacy and security." Representatives from ONC and Surescripts were unavailable for comment on this designation's implications.