ASTM CCR refers to the Continuity of Care Record, a health record standard specification that was developed through a collaborative effort by several key organizations in the healthcare and standards sectors.
The Continuity of Care Record (CCR) is specifically defined as "a health record standard specification developed jointly by ASTM International, the Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS), the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and ...". This indicates that "ASTM CCR" is the common way to refer to this standard, acknowledging ASTM International's significant role in its creation alongside other prominent groups.
Understanding the CCR Standard
The primary goal of the CCR standard is to create a widely accepted and accessible electronic health record document that can be easily shared between healthcare providers and patients. This is particularly crucial when patients transition between different healthcare settings, such as moving from a hospital to a primary care physician, or consulting a specialist.
Key Characteristics and Purpose
- Interoperability: Designed to improve the ability of different electronic health record (EHR) systems to exchange patient information.
- Standardized Summary: Provides a snapshot summary of a patient's health status and treatment plan, rather than the complete, detailed record.
- Patient-Centric: Focuses on information essential for continuity of care, including diagnoses, medications, allergies, test results, and treatment history.
- Facilitates Transitions: Aims to ensure that critical patient information follows the patient, reducing the risk of medical errors and improving care coordination.
Development and Collaboration
As highlighted in the reference, the development of the CCR standard was a joint initiative. This multi-stakeholder approach brought together expertise from different areas of healthcare and standards development:
| Organization | Role in CCR Development |
|---|---|
| ASTM International | Standards Development Partner |
| Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) | Medical Professional Association |
| Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) | Health IT Professional Organization |
| American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) | Medical Professional Association |
| American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) | Medical Professional Association |
| ...and others | Additional Stakeholders/Contributors |
ASTM International, known for developing technical standards across various industries, played a vital role in the formal standardization process of the CCR specification. This collaborative effort ensured the standard met the needs of both clinicians and health IT systems.
Significance in Healthcare
The ASTM CCR standard represented an important step towards achieving better health information exchange. By providing a common format for a patient summary, it helped pave the way for improved communication among providers and empowered patients with their health information. While newer standards like the Consolidated Clinical Document Architecture (C-CDA) have evolved from efforts like CCR and are now more widely adopted, the CCR remains historically significant as a foundational element in the journey towards interoperable electronic health records.
Practical Uses Included:
- Sharing patient summaries via secure email or patient portals.
- Creating portable health records for patients.
- Providing essential patient data during emergencies.
