Definition
Certified EHR Technology (CEHRT)
Certified EHR Technology (CEHRT) is the CMS regulatory term for health IT that meets a defined set of ONC certification criteria, which hospitals, clinicians and Advanced Alternative Payment Models must use to meet Medicare program requirements.
1 min readReviewed September 14, 2026
Also known as: Certified EHR, Certified electronic health record technology, CEHRT definition
Key facts
- Defined in
- 42 CFR 495.4 and 42 CFR 414.1305 (CMS regulations)
- Built on
- ONC Base EHR definition, 45 CFR 170.102, plus other criteria
- Required for
- Promoting Interoperability reporting and Advanced APMs
- Proof of use
- CMS EHR Certification ID generated in the CHPL
What is Certified EHR Technology?
CEHRT is a definition, not a product or a certification in itself. The Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy and Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ASTP/ONC), formerly ONC, certifies individual products and modules. CMS then specifies which certified capabilities a provider must have in place.
A provider meets the definition when its certified products, together, cover that required set. A hospital can do this with one comprehensive EHR or with modules from several developers. The Base EHR definition covers core capabilities such as computerized provider order entry, patient demographics, clinical decision support, transitions of care exchange and standardized APIs.
Because CEHRT points to ONC criteria, it moves when certification rules change. Providers must upgrade to product versions certified to updated criteria by deadlines set in rulemaking.
Where CMS requires CEHRT
CMS ties CEHRT to several Medicare programs, each with its own rules:
- Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program: eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals must use CEHRT and report measures or face payment reductions.
- MIPS Promoting Interoperability performance category: clinicians in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System report measures using CEHRT unless an exception or reweighting applies.
- Advanced Alternative Payment Models (Advanced APMs): a model must require a minimum share of participating clinicians to use CEHRT to qualify as advanced.
Why CEHRT matters
The definition connects product certification to provider revenue:
- Hospital finance teams: failing CEHRT and Promoting Interoperability requirements reduces Medicare payments in a later payment year.
- Compliance teams: a product whose certification is terminated can leave its users without CEHRT, so developer status needs monitoring.
- Health IT developers: selling to hospitals and Medicare clinicians generally requires certified versions that let customers meet CEHRT.
- Analysts: CMS EHR Certification IDs link reporting providers to the specific products listed in the Certified Health IT Product List (CHPL).