Defense Department Deploys New Health Records System for Another 19,000 Users
Kimberly Hackbarth/WACH Public Affairs
By
Frank Konkel
The latest rollout took place at multiple locations in Texas on Jan. 22.
The Defense Department successfully deployed its new electronic health records system, the Military Health System GENESIS, to 19,000 new users across 100 locations in Texas in the department’s largest wave deployment to date.
The latest deployment, which included the Brooke Army Medical Center and Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, went live Jan. 22 after several months of training and preparation. Developed by the Leidos Partnership for Defense Health, which includes Leidos, Cerner Corporation, Accenture, Henry Schein One and other supporting businesses, MHS GENESIS is the core software expected to standardize, integrate and make interoperable health records across the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments.
“It has been a tremendous undertaking to be the largest MHS GENESIS implementation wave within the Military Health System,” said Air Force Brig. Gen. Jeannine M. Ryder, 59th Medical Wing commander and San Antonio Market director. “Our medics are engaged, positive and flexible while adapting to this new electronic medical record.”
MHS GENESIS is now operational at more than 1,300 locations, with more than 85,000 active users, which include clinicians and health care practitioners. According to the Leidos Partnership for Defense Health, the software is approximately 38% deployed across the Defense Department.
“MHS GENESIS is now live and operational in the only Level 1 Trauma Center in the Defense Department,” Liz Porter, Leidos Health Group president, said in a statement. “It is a great honor knowing the system will enable clinicians and providers to continue delivering advanced care to several thousand trauma and burn patients in Central San Antonio.”
Officials expect full deployment of MHS GENESIS by the end of 2023 through a total of 23 different waves, despite several challenges, including difficult initial rollouts and issues presented during the ongoing pandemic.
“The program has continued to operate both on schedule and on budget, despite facing unforeseen challenges due to the COVID-19 Pandemic,” Holly Joers, who heads the Healthcare Management System’s Program Executive Office, said in a statement. “We are extremely proud of the team’s continued commitment to the mission and ability to react and respond to these real-world events.”