The ONC Health IT Certification Program, overseen by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC), is a voluntary initiative aimed at certifying health IT products, such as EHR systems. Its goal is to ensure they meet specific standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria. This certification empowers healthcare providers and users to evaluate and select products aligned with defined technological capabilities, functionality, and security features outlined by the ONC.

For participation in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) or the Meaningful Use (MU) program, eligible professionals must utilize EHR technology certified according to ONC regulations.

The ONC recognizes several Authorized Certification Bodies (ONC-ACBs), such as Drummond Group, Leidos, Inc., and SLI Compliance, tasked with certifying EHR systems or modules. These bodies validate technological capabilities, functionality, and security to help providers meet program criteria. Certified products are reviewed and listed on the Certified Health IT Product List (CHPL) on the ONC website. Utilizing an ONC-ACB certified product provides assurance to providers and patients that the health IT systems securely store data, maintain confidentiality, and facilitate information exchange with other systems.