ARRA

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) is an economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th United States Congress in February 2009. The Act followed other economic recovery legislation passed in the final year of the Bush presidency including the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 which created the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP). The stimulus was intended to create jobs and promote investment during the recession.

CAH

A Critical Access Hospital (CAH) is a hospital that is certified to receive cost-based eimbursement from Medicare. The reimbursement that CAHs receive is intended to improve their financial performance and thereby reduce hospital closures. Each hospital must review its own situation to determine if CAH status would be advantageous. CAHs are certified under a different set of Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoP) that are more flexible than the acute care hospital CoPs

CCHIT

The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) is a private not-for-profit organization that serves as a recognized US certification authority for electronic health records (EHR) and their networks.

CMS

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is the federal agency that runs the Medicare program. In addition, CMS works with the States to run the Medicaid program. CMS works to make sure that the beneficiaries in these programs are able to get high quality health care.

EHR

Electronic health record (EHR) is an evolving concept defined as a systematic collection of electronic health information about individual patients or populations. It is a record in digital format that is capable of being shared across different health care settings, by being embedded in network-connected enterprise-wide information systems. Such records may include a whole range of data in comprehensive or summary form, including demographics, medical history, medication and allergies, immunization status, laboratory test results, radiology images, and billing information.

EMR

Electronic medical record (EMR) is usually a computerized legal medical record created in an organization that delivers care, such as a hospital and doctor’s surgery. Electronic medical records tend to be a part of local stand-alone health information system that allows storage, retrieval and manipulation of records.

EP

Eligible Professional includes physicians, pediatricians, dentists, certified nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants at a federally qualified health center (FQHC) or rural health clinic (RHC) led by a physician assistant.

FFP

Federal Financial participation (FFP) was created as part of Title XIX, Social Security Act of 1965. The program’s intention is to provide local services in support of Medicare by providing a cost match for personnel.

FQHC

A federally qualified health center (FQHC) is a type of provider defined by the Medicare and Medicaid statutes. FQHCs include all organizations receiving grants under Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act, certain tribal organizations, and FQHC Look-a-likes. Requirements for Indian Health Service funded FQHCs may differ from the requirements for FQHCs receiving Section 330 grants and for FQHC Look-a-likes.

HIMSS

The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) is a comprehensive healthcare-stakeholder membership organization exclusively focused on providing global leadership for the optimal use of information technology and management systems for the betterment of healthcare.

HIT

Health information technology (health IT) allows comprehensive management of medical information and its secure exchange between health care consumers and providers.

HITECH

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, was signed into law on February 17, 2009, to promote the adoption and meaningful use of health information technology.

HPSA

Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) are designated by Health Resources and Services Administration as having shortages of primary medical care, dental or mental health providers and may be geographic (a county or service area), demographic (low income population) or institutional (comprehensive health center, federally qualified health center or other public facility).

IFR

This Interim Final Rule (IFR) represents the first step in an incremental approach to adopting standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria to enhance the interoperability, functionality, utility, and security of health IT and to support its meaningful use.

IT

Information Technology (IT) is the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware. IT deals with the use of electronic computers and computer software to convert, store, protect, process, transmit, and securely retrieve information.

NPRM

A notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) is a public notice issued by law when one of the independent agencies of the United States government wishes to add, remove, or change a rule or regulation as part of the rulemaking process. It is an important part of United States administrative law.

ONC

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is at the forefront of the administration’s health IT efforts and is a resource to the entire health system to support the adoption of health information technology and the promotion of nationwide health information exchange to improve health care. ONC is organizationally located within the Office of the Secretary for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

P4P

Pay for Performance (P4P) any type of performance-based provider payment arrangements, including those that target performance on cost measures.

RAC

A Rural Health Clinic (RHC) is a clinic certified to receive special Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. The purpose of the RHC program is improving access to primary care in underserved rural areas.

Virtual CIO

A virtual Chief Information Officer (CIO) helps small practices manage Information Technology without the additional overhead cost.