People

Lawmakers look to NDAA for health record push

Members of the House Veterans Affairs Committee want to use the must-pass 2020 defense authorization bill to advance interoperability and joint management of the electronic health records systems at the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.

Acquisition

Report cites dramatic uptick in government spending on temps

Veterans Affairs, Defense Health Agency are filling gaps with temporary workers rather than hiring career staff.

Modernization

NDAA pushes DOD-VA cooperation on health record modernization

The $20 billion health record modernization efforts at the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs are going to be joined a little more closely under an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act.

Modernization

DOD and VA's decisionmaking body for health record modernization lacks a decider

Defense and Veterans Affairs officials revealed a plan, decided March 1, to set up a joint governance board to make decisions on implementation of their commercial electronic health record system at a House hearing.

Modernization

Contractors still looking for leadership on joint health record project

Contractors are hoping that the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense deliver on plans to create a body with authority to settle disputes and guide joint implementation of the Cerner Millennium health record software across the two departments.

People

VA pushes back on health record oversight bill

The Department of Veterans Affairs is opposing a Senate plan to establish an advisory board to conduct oversight of the agency's $16 billion, 10-year plan to implement a commercial electronic health record system.

Digital Government

Employees, research drive CX innovations at Veterans Affairs

The Department of Veterans Affairs is looking to improve customer experience by changing its culture and tapping its own workforce for innovative ideas.

Digital Government

VA's Byrne hints at acceleration of health record upgrade

At his confirmation hearing to take the job of deputy secretary on a permanent basis, Jim Byrne suggested that there was a path to finishing the electronic health record modernization project ahead of schedule.

Digital Government

Poll: VA the least-liked federal agency

Americans like the Post Office, NASA and the Secret Service, but aren't thrilled by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration.

Modernization

Can anyone lead the $20B DOD-VA health IT modernization project?

Despite pressure from Congress, DOD and VA don't appear to be racing to name a single point of accountability to lead the electronic health records transformation at the two agencies.

Digital Government

Senior lawmaker pushes on EHR access issues

A top appropriator wants answers on how clinicians at the Department of Veterans Affairs will access information on the shared electronic health record system being implemented by the Department of Defense and VA.

People

VA and DOD set to pick health data decider

Top officials at the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs are closing in on a plan to name a single person to settle disputes between the two agencies when it comes to the implementation of the Cerner electronic health record.

Modernization

Lawmakers press VA officials on EHR modernization, workforce

Officials with the Department of Veterans Affairs touted progress on the agency's long-term electronic health records modernization, but appropriators still have concerns about the multi-billion-dollar project.

Acquisition

House panel launches probe of outside influence on VA

Allegations of the shadowy influence of three Mar-a-Lago cronies of President Trump on the inner workings of the Department of Veterans Affairs has prompted a congressional probe.

Modernization

DOD and VA consider an electronic health record czar

Lawmakers remain impatient for a single point of accountability for related efforts by Pentagon and the Department of Veterans Affairs to modernize electronic health records systems.