Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the median hourly wage for a software developer is $44.55. We have also calculated the costs of an benefits by assuming that an employee’s employer expends thirty-six percent (36%) of an on benefits for the employee’s hourly wage employee. We have concluded that a 36% expenditure on benefits is an appropriate estimate because it is the routine percentage used by HHS for contract cost estimates. We have rounded up the average software wage with benefits to $61 per hour. developer’s To calculate our cost estimates for each certification criterion in the tables below, we have multiplied both the average low and average high number of development and preparation hours by $61. For tables 8 and 9, dollar amounts are expressed in 2013 dollars. For unchanged certification criteria, we have estimated a range of 0-50 hours to account for new entrants in the Stage 3 Criteria table (Table 6) and used 60% less of that estimate in the table (Table 7). To illustrate, that would produce a high development “Independent Criteria” hours of 12,700 for the criterion (item # 7). This likely still overestimates the “medication list” burden hours of all potential new entrants. Estimated Health IT Developers and Development Hours Per Criterion Table 6. Estimated Health IT Developers and Development and Preparation Hours for Proposed Certification Criteria Criteria Associated with the EHR Incentive Programs Stage 3 3 – (“Stage Criteria”) Item # CFR Text Certification Criterion Number of Health IT Hourly Development Effort Name Developers who by Health IT Developer Develop Product(s) Low Avg High Avg for Certification to Criterion 1 § 170.315(a)(1) CPOE medications 83.3 0 50 – 2 § 170.315(a)(2) CPOE laboratory 83.3 1000 2000 – 3 § 170.315(a)(3) CPOE diagnostic 0 50 – 83.3 imaging 4 § 170.315(a)(4) DD/DAI Checks for 400 800 242.2 CPOE 5 § 170.315(a)(5) Demographics 268.8 500 1000 6 § 170.315(a)(7) Problem List 256.9 100 200 7 § 170.315(a)(8) Medication List 254.8 0 50 8 § 170.315(a)(9) Medication Allergy 0 50 252.7 List 9 § 170.315(a)(10) Clinical Decision 235.2 600 1200
Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the median hourly wage for a software developer is $44.55. We have also calculated the costs of an employee’s benefits by assuming that an employer expends thirty-six percent (36%) of an employee’s hourly wage on benefits for the employee. We have concluded that a 36% expenditure on benefits is an appropriate estimate because it is the routine percentage used by HHS for contract cost estimates. We have rounded up the average software developer’s wage with benefits to $61 per hour. To calculate our cost estimates for each certification criterion in the tables below, we have multiplied both the average low and average high number of development and preparation hours by $61. For tables 8 and 9, dollar amounts are expressed in 2013 dollars. For unchanged certification criteria, we have estimated a range of 0-50 hours to account for new entrants in the Stage 3 Criteria table (Table 6) and used 60% less of that estimate in the “Independent Criteria” table (Table 7). To illustrate, that would produce a high development hours of 12,700 for the “medication list” criterion (item # 7). This likely still overestimates the burden hours of all potential new entrants. Estimated Health IT Developers and Development Hours Per Criterion Table 6. Estimated Health IT Developers and Development and Preparation Hours for Proposed Certification Criteria – Criteria Associated with the EHR Incentive Programs Stage 3 (“Stage 3 Criteria”) Item # CFR Text Certification Criterion Name Number of Health IT Developers who Develop Product(s) for Certification to Criterion Hourly Development Effort by Health IT Developer Low Avg High Avg 1 § 170.315(a)(1) CPOE – medications 83.3 0 50 2 § 170.315(a)(2) CPOE – laboratory 83.3 1000 2000 3 § 170.315(a)(3) CPOE – diagnostic imaging 83.3 0 50 4 § 170.315(a)(4) DD/DAI Checks for CPOE 242.2 400 800 5 § 170.315(a)(5) Demographics 268.8 500 1000 6 § 170.315(a)(7) Problem List 256.9 100 200 7 § 170.315(a)(8) Medication List 254.8 0 50 8 § 170.315(a)(9) Medication Allergy List 252.7 0 50 9 § 170.315(a)(10) Clinical Decision 235.2 600 1200
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