DoD, VA Talk Details of EHR Merge
The Defense Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs are providing more information about their agreement to create a joint common platform for their departments’ electronic medical records.
VA Deputy Secretary W. Scott Gould said Gates and Shinseki reached a conceptual agreemtn during a March 17 sessions and further agreed on a early May deadline for their staffs to set implementation plans.
“They slapped the table and said, ‘Okay, in concept we agree,’†Gould said.
Fed Procurement Officials on Fine-tuning FAR
Federal Computer Week reports federal procurement officials are looking to fine-tune the process for developing new rules to add to the bible of government procurement, the Federal Acquisition Regulation, or the FAR.
“My No. 1 goal is finding ways to squeeze out those steps in the processes that are slowing things up, where cases are sitting for no reason,†said Dan Gordon, administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy in February.
Increasingly the tune-up is incorporating what are known as slam sessions — day-long meetings of high-level acquisition officials and policy experts from across the government to take a long, hard look at current regulations, FCW reports.
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Senate Intel Committee Mulling Pension Penalty for Leakers
Secrecy expert Steven Aftergood has more information on proposed penalties for federal employees who are accused of leaking classified information.
In its report on the 2011 Intelligence Authorization Act, the Senate Intel Committee is mulling a proposal that would authorize agencies to withhold federal pensions for employees accused of leaking information.
However, it is almost certain to draw controversy even on the Senate subcommittee.
More on the Federation of American Scientists’ Secrecy Blog.
Senate Budget Committee Approves Obama’s Deputy OMB Pick
Despite fierce opposition from ranking Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), the Senate Budget Committee approved Heather Higginbottom as President Barack Obama’s pick for deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Click here for to read more from The Hill.
ONC’s Health IT Plan a Hit in Public Comments
The Office of the National Coordinator of Health IT is receiving a steady stream of public comments on its update to it health IT strategic plan.
FierceHealthIT reports ONC has already received more than three dozen comments since the five-year plan was opened to the public.
