The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has made changes to its electronic health record implementation schedule due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The VA Central Ohio Healthcare System will receive a new patient-scheduling system this month, and Washington-based Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center will undergo EHR implementation in October, VA said Friday.
VA expects the modified schedule to maintain the intended 10-year implementation timeline and still be accommodated by the EHR program's existing budget estimates.
The EHR modernization program aims to consolidate VA and Department of Defense health records into one updated, unified system. Information technology company Cerner is helping VA adopt the system under a $10 billion contract.
“As we implement the new EHR solution at these facilities, we will continue to prioritize the safety of our veterans and our staff by following guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19," said Robert Wilkie, secretary of Veterans Affairs and a 2019 Wash100 Award winner.
The modernized EHR will replace the department's existing Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture or VistA.
