Posted on Jul 29, 2021
What’s Next for VA’s Troubled Electronic Health Records Program?
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The VA has finished its 12-week strategic review of the massive Cerner Millennium electronic health record modernization (EHRM) project, VA Secretary Denis McDonough announced June 30. Review completion came just in time for McDonough to answer concerned members of the Senate and House Committees on Veterans’ Affairs about VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) and Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports discussing problems surrounding the initial deployment of the Cerner system in the Pacific Northwest nine months ago.
The secretary announced the strategic review of the EHRM within days of taking office Feb. 9 because of major issues swirling after the new system went live at Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center (VAMC) in Spokane, Wash. There have been mounting concerns over the $16 billion project because of its cost and massive scope.
Senate committee chair Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and ranking member Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) didn’t hide their frustration about these recent developments and the project itself during a July 14 hearing.
“I for one am fed up with the amount of taxpayer dollars we’re spending on this program without any demonstrated benefits to veterans or VA medical staff,” Tester said. “We have literally been working on this for my entire time in Congress, almost 15 years.”
While the discrepancies and under-reporting of project cost estimates of more than $5 billion highlighted in one of the VA OIG reports were frustrating, “the issue was more about caring for veterans and them seeing the benefits of the system at some point in their lifetime,” said Moran.
The secretary announced the strategic review of the EHRM within days of taking office Feb. 9 because of major issues swirling after the new system went live at Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center (VAMC) in Spokane, Wash. There have been mounting concerns over the $16 billion project because of its cost and massive scope.
Senate committee chair Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and ranking member Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) didn’t hide their frustration about these recent developments and the project itself during a July 14 hearing.
“I for one am fed up with the amount of taxpayer dollars we’re spending on this program without any demonstrated benefits to veterans or VA medical staff,” Tester said. “We have literally been working on this for my entire time in Congress, almost 15 years.”
While the discrepancies and under-reporting of project cost estimates of more than $5 billion highlighted in one of the VA OIG reports were frustrating, “the issue was more about caring for veterans and them seeing the benefits of the system at some point in their lifetime,” said Moran.
What’s Next for VA’s Troubled Electronic Health Records Program?
Posted from moaa.org
Veterans Affairs (VA)
Healthcare
Medical
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 6
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This is pathetic, and people could end up dying because of this governmental ineptitude.
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1SG Steven Imerman
Lt Col Charlie Brown - Me, too. We have a private physician, and when I got into the VA system (so I was enrolled, just in case) the doctor, after reviewing my case, agreed that in our position is made sense for me to stay with Doc Marsha.
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GySgt Thomas Vick
I've used the VA for a long time, and have actually received some great care, now if we could just speed them up a couple of light years it would be even better.
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SSgt Richard Kensinger
Lt Col Charlie Brown - Me too and I believe in treating the most urgent in need. I consider myself to be a routine need. I deeply appreciate the GI education benefit when I earned my advanced clinical degree!
Rich
Rich
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They should be spending that money on Veterans needing care, but gee that doesn't make since, a new computer system is more important.
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