Electronic Health Records: Long History of Management Challenges Raises Concerns about VAs and DoDs New Approach to Sharing Health Information
Abstract
VA and DOD operate two of the nations largest health care systems - systems that serve populations of veterans and active service members and their dependents. To better serve these populations, VA and DOD have been collaborating for about 15 years on a variety of initiatives to share data among the departments' health information systems. The use of IT to electronically collect, store, retrieve, and transfer such data has the potential to improve the quality and efficiency of health care. Particularly important in this regard is developing electronic health records that can be accessed throughout a patient's military and veteran status. Making such information electronic can ensure greater availability of health care information for service members and veterans at the time and place of care. Although they share many common business needs, both VA and DOD have spent large sums of money to develop and maintain separate electronic health record systems that they use to create and manage patient health information. GAO was asked to testify on (1) the departments' efforts, and challenges faced, in electronically sharing health information and (2) the recent change in their approach to developing an integrated electronic health record. In preparing this statement, GAO relied primarily on previously published work in this area.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 27, 2013
- Accession Number
- AD1156488
Entities
People
- Valerie C. Melvin
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office