ONC Certification Criteria for Health IT by Regulatory Update Deadline

The ONC Health IT Certification Program Test Method has been constructed in an outcome-focused format with additional companion guide documents to aid stakeholder development of Health IT Modules. The Test Method provides the structure for evaluating conformance of the Health IT Module to the certification criteria defined at 42 CFR 170.315. As ONC updates the certification criteria in new and upcoming final rules, this webpage will be maintained to highlight the criteria that have been updated and reference relevant deadlines, as applicable. However, for a full review of the requirements related to a criterion, please refer to each criterion’s respective Certification Companion Guide and Test Procedure.

Below you will find the criteria that have been updated in recent Final Rules, with reference to the type of regulatory updates required for each criterion. For a full list of active criteria within the Certification Program, please visit the Certification Program Test Method. Note that ASTP/ONC has issued enforcement discretion notices that affect Certification Program requirements. Please visit this page for more information on enforcement discretion.

 

 

Updated Criteria (Developer Actions Required for Existing Certifications)

Regulation Text Citation

Certification Criterion

Final Rule Reference

Regulatory Update Deadline

Update Type

§ 170.315(a)(5)

Patient demographics and observations 

HTI-1 Final Rule

December 31, 2025

Minimum Standard Code Sets

§ 170.315(a)(12)

Family health history

HTI-1 Final Rule

December 31, 2025

Minimum Standard Code Sets

§ 170.315(a)(15)

Social, psychological, and behavior data

HTI-1 Final Rule

December 31, 2025

Minimum Standard Code Sets

§ 170.315(b)(1)

Transitions of care

HTI-1 Final Rule

December 31, 2025

Minimum Standard Code Sets and Standards Updates

§ 170.315(b)(2)

Clinical information reconciliation and incorporation

HTI-1 Final Rule

December 31, 2025

Standards Updates

§ 170.315(b)(3)

Electronic prescribing

HTI-4 Final Rule

December 31, 2027

Standards Updates; Functionality and Certification Criterion Dependency

§ 170.315(b)(9)

Care plan

HTI-1 Final Rule

December 31, 2025

Standards Updates

§ 170.315(b)(11)

Decision support interventions (DSI)

HTI-2 Final Rule

December 31, 2027

Privacy and Security Requirements

§ 170.315(c)(4)

Clinical quality measures (CQM) – filter

HTI-1 Final Rule

December 31, 2025

Minimum Standard Code Sets

§ 170.315(e)(1)

View, download, and transmit to 3rd party

HTI-1 Final Rule

December 31, 2025

Standards Updates and Functionality

§ 170.315(f)(1)

Transmission to immunization registries

HTI-1 Final Rule

December 31, 2025

Minimum Standard Code Sets

§ 170.315(f)(3)

Transmission to public health agencies – reportable laboratory tests and values/results

HTI-1 Final Rule

December 31, 2025

Minimum Standard Code Sets

§ 170.315(f)(4)

Transmission to cancer registries

HTI-1 Final Rule

December 31, 2025

Minimum Standard Code Sets

§ 170.315(f)(5)

Transmission to public health agencies — electronic case reporting

HTI-1 Final Rule

December 31, 2025

Standards Updates

§ 170.315(g)(6)

Consolidated CDA creation performance

HTI-1 Final Rule

December 31, 2025

Standards Updates

§ 170.315(g)(9)

Application access — all data request

HTI-1 Final Rule

December 31, 2025

Standards Updates

§ 170.315(g)(10)

Standardized application programming interface (API) for patient and population services

HTI-1 Final Rule

December 31, 2025

Standards Update

 

New Criteria

 

Removed

Regulation Text Citation

Certification Criterion

Final Rule Reference

Expiration Date

§ 170.315(a)(9)

Clinical decision support (CDS)

HTI-1 Final Rule

December 31, 2024