Prepare for Leapfrog Group's CPOE deadline

Prepare for Leapfrog Group’s CPOE deadline

By Patty Enrado, Editor

ORLANDO, Fla. - April 2008 marks the date the Leapfrog Group will release its set of self-assessment tools for hospital and physician groups to evaluate the clinical decision support in implemented CPOE, or Computer Physician Order Entry, in hospitals and in electronic medical record, or EMR, in the ambulatory setting.

Not many industry stakeholders are aware, however, that these tools are necessary to meet Leapfrog and National Quality Forum inpatient CPOE standards effective April 2008.

“People are in the dark about this and we need to educate them in any way we can,” David Classen, vice president of First Consulting Group, said.

Educating the public is behind Classen’s Session 126, to be held on February 27, Wednesday, 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM, “Evaluation of Implemented EHRs: What you need to know to be in compliance with the 2008 Leapfrog and National Quality Forum CPOE Standards.”

“If you want to meet the standards, you have to take and pass the test,” said Classen, who was involved in the development of the mini test, a Web-enabled, self-assessment flight simulator tool.

“There has never been a test to evaluate the safety of implemented CPOE,” he said.

Classen noted that the self-assessment tool is complementary to the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology’s, or CCHIT, evaluation of on-the-shelf EMR systems. The test is also harmonized with the National Quality Forum standards, which provide 30 best practices devoted to CPOE.

While taking the test will be required in the first year and organizations completing the assessment will be publicly noted by The Leapfrog Group, public reporting of results will be optional. In April 2009, organizations that take the test will have its overall test scores publicly reported by The Leapfrog Group.

The bottom line, said Classen, is that organizations have every reason to take the test – and every reason to attend this session.