- The Department of Veterans Affairs has expanded federal EHR deployment to four additional medical facilities in Ohio and Kentucky
- The latest rollout extends the modernized health record system to more than 107,000 veterans and 7,200 staff
- The implementation marked another step in the department’s accelerated EHR modernization effort
The Department of Veterans Affairs has deployed the new federal electronic health record, or EHR, system at four additional medical facilities in Ohio and Kentucky, marking the second wave of EHR implementations under the agency’s accelerated modernization schedule.
The new system went live Saturday at Cincinnati VA Medical Center, Chillicothe VA Medical Center, Dayton VA Medical Center and the Cincinnati VA Medical Center-Fort Thomas campus, the agency said Monday. It will support more than 107,000 veterans and approximately 7,200 clinicians and staff across the region.
The federal EHR modernization effort remains one of the government’s largest healthcare technology initiatives, aimed at improving care coordination between VA, the Department of War and other healthcare partners. The future of federal health IT, interoperability and modernization will be key topics at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Healthcare Summit, scheduled for Dec. 3. Register now!
What Benefits Does the Federal EHR System Provide?
VA said the system is designed to improve information-sharing with the Department of War and other federal healthcare partners while incorporating relevant health information from private sector providers.
The agency said the platform should reduce duplicative testing, improve continuity of care when veterans move between facilities and enable clinicians to spend more time with patients by replacing older systems and processes.
VA also noted that the modernized record system allows facilities to share clinical practices and patient information more effectively.
How Did VA Prepare for the Latest Deployment?
According to the department, officials addressed hundreds of issues identified during the program’s earlier rollout phases and adopted a more standardized implementation approach.
VA also streamlined governance of the modernization effort by consolidating oversight under a single decision-making body and expanded staffing to support deployments.
‘We are rapidly expanding this modern EHR system throughout the department to improve experiences for both Veterans and VA employees,” said VA Deputy Secretary Paul Lawrence.
What Is Next for the EHR Modernization Program?
The Ohio and Kentucky deployment follows the first 2026 implementation wave in Michigan, where the EHR system was launched in April at four VA medical facilities serving more than 200,000 veterans and 10,000 employees.
VA plans to resume deployments later this year, beginning in August with medical centers in Fort Wayne, Marion and Indianapolis, Indiana. Rollouts will continue in October at the Alaska VA Healthcare System in Anchorage and the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center in Ohio.
