The Office of the National Coordinator said Monday it picked IT security company InfoGard Laboratories Inc. to be the third certifying body for electronic health records.

The 17-year-old, San Louis Obispo, Calif.-based company joins Drummond Group and CCHIT as the first batch of organizations able to certify EHRs can help providers meet "meaningful use" criteria. Only by using programs certified by an ONC-Authorized Testing and Certification Body can providers be eligible for EHR-adoption incentive payments from the stimulus bill scheduled for disbursement next year.

"We are pleased to be among the first IT laboratories to be authorized by ONC to certify EHRs," InfoGard's president Maclynn Brinton said in prepared remarks.

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