WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs launched its new electronic health record April 30 at the VA Central Ohio Healthcare System in Columbus, Ohio, marking the third rollout in VA’s modernization effort to replace the more than 30-year-old software that tracks and stores patient information.

The launch at the VA Central Ohio Healthcare System includes its VA clinics in Grove City, Marion, Newark and Zanesville, Ohio. The next two EHR system deployments are scheduled for June 11 at the Roseburg VA Health Care System in Roseburg, Oregon, and VA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center and Clinics in White City, Oregon.

The latest EHR implementation follows earlier deployments at Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane, Washington, and its community-based outpatient clinics, as well as the West Consolidated Patient Account Center in Las Vegas, in October 2020, and at Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VAMC and its affiliated clinics in the Walla Walla, Washington, area on March 26, 2022.

“This electronic health record rollout is an important step in our progress toward a single instance of a medical record connecting VA, the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Coast Guard that will provide all our patients with seamless care from active duty to Veteran status,” said program Executive Director of VA’s Electronic Health Record Modernization Integration Office Terry Adirim, M.D. “With each VA site that adopts this system, we gain momentum. The lessons we carry forward from site to site are refining our rollouts and improving end-user experiences.”

VA has made great strides with its new EHR program since the first system launch in the Pacific Northwest. In response to feedback and lessons learned, the department made several improvements, including adding more computer-based instruction to provide users with more flexibility and autonomy to meet their training needs.

Additionally, “super-users,” facility staff with advanced understanding of the system to support their peers, were identified and added to activities, such as system demonstrations, workshops and testing. Increased over-the-shoulder support is also now provided during “go-live,” the period when the medical facility transitions from VA’s legacy EHR system to the new one.

During a visit to Washington state last week, VA Deputy Secretary Donald Remy heard firsthand accounts of how the new EHR has enhanced the efforts of VHA employees. Remy spoke to a laboratory manager at Mann-Grandstaff, who told him the new system has improved efficiency and streamlined procedures. They are processing more lab samples than with the legacy system resulting in increased reliable outcomes.

These improvements were made to address some of the challenges with the program and VA remains steadfast to getting this right for Veterans and serving as a model for transformative health care innovation. Visit VA’s Electronic Health Record Modernization program for information.

Originally published by Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs

More Stories

  • VA, DOD, and FEHRM roll out Federal Electronic Health Record in North Chicago

    VA, DOD, and FEHRM roll out Federal Electronic Health Record in North Chicago

    Today, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, and Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization office launched the Federal Electronic Health Record (EHR) at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (Lovell FHCC) in North Chicago, Illinois. This is the first joint deployment of the federal EHR, which DOD calls MHS GENESIS, at a joint VA and Department of Defense (DOD) facility.

  • VA announces reset of Electronic Health Record project

    VA announces reset of Electronic Health Record project

    WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced that future deployments of the new Electronic Health Record (EHR) will be halted while we prioritize improvements at the five sites that currently use the new EHR, as part of a larger program reset.

  • VA extends delay of upcoming electronic health record deployments to June 2023 to address technical and other system performance issues

    VA extends delay of upcoming electronic health record deployments to June 2023 to address technical and other system performance issues

    Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced it is delaying upcoming deployments of the Oracle Cerner electronic health record (EHR) until June 2023 to address challenges with the system and make sure it is functioning optimally for Veterans and for VA health care personnel.