A Buffed-Up Health Record Office?

I'm picking up medium-strength signals that top Defense and Veterans Affairs Department leaders want to put day-to-day management of work developing a joint electronic health record into the hands of an Interagency Program Office that was stood up in 2008.

I'm told this office has done little to really push the interoperability of health care between the two departments -- except for creating some PowerPoint slides -- but does have a structure that could support development of the joint record.

Top Defense and VA officials want to spiff up the interagency program office and give it enough clout to get the joint records job done.

If true, it's a good idea. If not, the alternative might ensure the joint record project dies a slow, bureaucratic death.