Medical ADP Systems: Status of Defense's Test of VA's System
Abstract
DOD is acquiring a computerized medical information system to automate a wide range of medical support services and hospital administrative processes in 167 hospitals and over 500 clinics, worldwide. This system, the Composite Health Care System, is currently in the midst of a competitive acquisition process, with four vendors performing demonstration tests. If the VA system is not chosen by DOD, one or two vendors will be selected to install systems worldwide. DOD estimates that such systems will cost about $1 billion over an 8-year life cycle. When the Composite Health Care System procurement was initiated in 1984, the Committee of Conference, approving appropriations for fiscal year 1985, directed DOD to consider VA's Decentralized Hospital Computer Program as an alternative to the Composite Health Care System. In late 1984, in response to this directive from the Committee of Conference, DOD initiated a formal test of VA's system at March Air Force Base Hospital to assess its feasibility and cost-effectiveness in a military medical facility. Later, the fiscal year 1986 Defense Authorization Act required DOD to test all available VA components (including equipment and software) and expand the test to include a facility significantly larger than March. Specifically, in the conference report accompanying the act, conferees stated that the larger site was needed to demonstrate the VA system's ability to handle a large military medical facility. The act also directed DOD to report on the results of such testing, and provide an assessment of the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of using the VA system as an alternative to the Composite Health Care System. Subsequently, DOD selected Fitzsimons Army Medical Center as the larger facility. The 1987 Defense Authorization Act extended the deadline for test completion do no later than October 1, 1987. Appendix II provides additional detailed background information on the test.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1987
- Accession Number
- AD1174375
Entities
People
- Ralph V. Carlone
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office