VA IT Modernization: Preparations for Transitioning to a New Electronic Health Record System Are Ongoing

Abstract

VA provides health care services to almost 9 million veterans and their families and relies on its health information system - VistA - to do so. However, the system is more than 30 years old, is costly to maintain, and does not support interoperability with DOD and private health care providers. Since 2001, VA has pursued multiple efforts to modernize the system. In June 2017, VA announced plans to acquire the same system - the Cerner system - that DOD is implementing. GAO was asked to summarize preliminary observations from its ongoing review of VistA and the departments efforts to acquire a new system to replace VistA. Specifically, the statement summarizes preliminary observations regarding (1) costs incurred for the system and related activities during the last 3 fiscal years; (2) key components that comprise VistA and are to be replaced; and (3) actions VA has taken to prepare for its transition to the Cerner system. The statement also discusses common factors critical to the success of IT acquisitions that GAO has previously identified.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 26, 2018
Accession Number
AD1154697

Entities

People

  • Charles Youman
  • David A. Powner
  • Jacqueline Mai
  • Jennifer M. Bailey
  • Jennifer Stavros-turner
  • Mark Bird
  • Rebecca Eyler
  • Scott Pettis

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Application Software
  • Best Practices
  • Business Administration
  • Congress
  • Contracts
  • Department Of Defense
  • Department Of Veterans Affairs
  • Governments
  • Health Care
  • Health Informatics
  • Health Services
  • Information Systems
  • Life Cycles
  • Management Personnel
  • Medical Personnel
  • Procurement
  • Program Management
  • Software Development
  • United States
  • United States Government
  • Veterans Health

Readers

  • Defense Financial Management and Audit.
  • Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
  • Psychological Intervention/Treatment for Stress, Anxiety, PTSD, and Related Emotional and Cognitive Health Symptoms.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics