Electronic Health Records: VA Needs to Identify and Report System Costs
Abstract
VA provides health care services to approximately 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 fully support exchanging health data with DOD and private health care providers. Over nearly 2 decades, VA has pursued multiple efforts to modernize the system. In June 2017, the department announced plans to acquire the same system - the Cerner system - that DOD is implementing. VA plans to continue using VistA during the decade-long transition to the Cerner system. GAO was asked to review key aspects of VistA and VA's plans for the new acquisition of the Cerner system. The objectives of the review were to (1) determine the extent to which VA has defined VistA, (2) evaluate VA's annual costs to develop and sustain VistA, and (3) describe the actions VA has taken to transition from VistA to the Cerner system. GAO analyzed documentation that defines aspects of VistA and identifies components to be replaced; evaluated the reliability of cost data, including obligations associated with the development and sustainment of VistA for fiscal years 2015, 2016, and 2017; and reviewed program documentation related to VAs program, governance, and plans to transition to Cerner.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2019
- Accession Number
- AD1170760
Entities
People
- Carol Harris
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office