Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission

Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (often abbreviated as EHNAC) is a voluntary, self-governing standards development organization (SDO) established to develop standard criteria and accredit organizations that electronically exchange healthcare data. These entities include electronic health networks, payers, providers, third-party administrators, medical billers, and banking and financial institutions.

History

The Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission was established in 1993. The organization was created in response to the healthcare industry's need for an accreditation process for healthcare transaction processors. The goal was to promote standards that would ensure a high level of performance, service, and integrity among electronic healthcare networks.

Function

The primary function of EHNAC is to accredit organizations that are involved in the transfer of healthcare data electronically. This includes, but is not limited to, Health Information Exchanges (HIEs), Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT) vendors, and HIPAA business associates.

EHNAC's accreditation process involves a comprehensive review of each applicant's organizational structure, policies and procedures, and compliance with state and federal laws. The process is designed to ensure that accredited organizations meet or exceed industry-established standards in areas such as privacy and security, technical performance, business practices, and resource management.

Accreditation Programs

EHNAC offers a variety of accreditation programs, each tailored to a specific type of healthcare organization or function. These include:

• DirectTrust Accreditation for entities using the Direct protocol for secure, interoperable exchange of personal health information.
• Health Information Exchange (HIE) Accreditation for public and private health information exchanges.
• Electronic Health Record (EHR) Accreditation for EHR vendors and developers.
• Health Information Technology (HIT) Accreditation for organizations providing HIT services.
• HIPAA Compliance Accreditation for organizations that need to demonstrate compliance with HIPAA regulations.

See Also

• Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society
• American Health Information Management Association
• Health Level Seven International