VETERANS AFFAIRS: Addressing IT Management Challenges Is Essential to Effectively Supporting the Department's Mission
Abstract
The use of IT is crucial to helping VA effectively serve the nations veterans. Each year the department spends billions of dollars on its information systems and assets. However, VA has experienced challenges in managing its IT programs, raising questions about its ability to deliver intended outcomes needed to help advance the departments mission. To improve federal agencies IT acquisitions, in December 2014 Congress enacted FITARA. GAO has previously reported on IT management challenges at VA, as well as its progress in implementing FITARA and cybersecurity requirements. GAO was asked to summarize key results and recommendations from its work at VA that examined systems modernization efforts, FITARA implementation, and cybersecurity efforts. To do so, GAO reviewed its recently issued reports and incorporated information on the departments actions in response to GAOs recommendations. GAO has made numerous recent recommendations to VA aimed at improving the departments IT management. VA has generally agreed with the recommendations and has taken steps to address them; however, the department has fully implemented less than half of them. Fully implementing all of GAOs recommendations would help VA ensure that its IT effectively supports the departments mission.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 02, 2019
- Accession Number
- AD1169777
Entities
People
- Carol C. Harris
- Christy Tyson
- Eric Trout
- Justin Booth
- Katherine Noble
- Kevin Walsh
- Mark Bird
- Rebecca Eyler
- Scott Pettis
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office