The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) anticipates improved outcomes from its restructured contract with Oracle Cerner for Electronic Health Records (EHR) modernization. Despite setbacks including harm to patients and veteran deaths, the VA temporarily paused EHR expansion to address issues. Cautiously optimistic, CIO Kurt DelBene welcomed the pause for learning and customization. He drew hope from the Pentagon’s EHR success while acknowledging the VA’s unique complexities, emphasizing a well-prepared relaunch.
A high-ranking official within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is cautiously hopeful about the potential positive impact of the newly renegotiated contract terms with health IT provider Oracle Cerner on the agency’s challenging project of modernizing its Electronic Health Records (EHR) system. Reports from FedScoop indicate this sentiment.
The EHR platform, which was initially launched at Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in October 2020, has encountered a series of issues. VA authorities have officially acknowledged that deficiencies in the health IT system have contributed to over 150 instances of harm to patients and the unfortunate deaths of four veterans.
In April 2023, the VA decided to halt the expansion of the EHR system to other sites to address the ongoing problems with the platform’s functionality. The subsequent month witnessed a reevaluation and adjustment of the EHR contract between the VA and Oracle Cerner. Notably, this revised agreement includes more robust benchmarks for performance and more substantial financial penalties in case of underperformance.
Kurt DelBene, the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the department, expressed his positive perspective on these developments in a podcast episode with FedScoop. DelBene conveyed his confidence in the decision to temporarily suspend the project, highlighting the implementation timeline of the initial EHR modernization as notably ambitious. He acknowledged significant lessons gained from the five sites where the EHR was introduced, particularly in terms of user-friendliness.
DelBene emphasized the intricate nature of transitioning a health record system and the significance of the pause in operations to set precise criteria for relaunching. Despite the complexity, he holds an optimistic view of the path forward.
Drawing on the success of the Pentagon’s implementation of a similar EHR system based on Oracle Cerner software, DelBene sees a promising parallel. However, he recognized that the VA’s situation entails unique complexities that necessitate customization to accommodate the distinctive healthcare delivery landscape of the VA.
Regarding the timeline for resuming the rollout, DelBene mentioned that the VA has made progress in determining the appropriate timing. Nevertheless, the agency will not recommence implementation until they have a strong sense of confidence in the next steps they are taking.
