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for theTechnology Modernization Fund was included in the American Rescue Plan Act
VA plans ‘strategic review’ of $16B software program
Denis McDonough, secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, has announced a “strategic review” of the agency’s $16 billion Electronic Health Record Modernization
software contract with Cerner and $6 billion for planned infrastructure and hardware upgrades. The program is designed to replace VA’s homegrown
VistA EHR system, which was popular with clinicians but had evolved into more than 130 versions that presented interoperability challenges within the VA and with medical records systems at the Defense Department.
our veterans and has struggled with staffing and morale for several years.” According to the VA announce-
ment, the order of subsequent go-live sites could be altered as a result of the review.
“It is more important for VA to get EHRM right than to rush it and put vet- erans’ health at risk,” Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Veter- ans’ Affairs Committee, said in a state- ment. “This strategic review comes at a critical time, and I’m hopeful that it will ensure Secretary McDonough has an opportunity to examine the prior admin- istration’s handling of the project and course-correct if necessary.”
The system was supposed to start going live in March 2020, but multiple, overlapping delays caused by software integration problems, workplace restric- tions and other issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the launch to October 2020.
According to the VA’s statement, the review will last as long as 12 weeks and focus on workflow issues and improve- ments to the patient portal.
— Adam Mazmanian
(EHRM) program.
The move comes after
the new system, based on the Cerner Millennium EHR platform, went live at the Mann-Grandstaff Medical Center in Spokane, Wash., at four outpatient clinics, and at an affiliated billing and processing center in Las Vegas.
In November, program leaders said the deploy- ment had gone well from a technical perspective and had avoided some of the infrastructure headaches and per- missions problems that had plagued DOD’s launch of the same software. Recently, however, Rep. Cathy McMor- ris Rodgers (R-Wash.), who represents Spokane, wrote to McDonough to air her constituents’ complaints about the
new system.
“The system is not an improvement,”
she wrote. “It has put new stress on the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center, which is a vital lifeline for so many of
“A successful EHR deployment is essential in the delivery of lifetime, world-class health care for our veter- ans,” McDonough said in a statement. “After a rigorous review of our most recent deployment at Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center, it is apparent that a strategic review is necessary. VA remains committed to the Cerner Mil- lennium solution, and we must get this right for veterans.”
The $16 billion price tag for the proj- ect includes $10 billion for a 10-year
Denis McDonough
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