Legislators Want More Accountability in VA’s New EHR Contract

VA is in the process of renegotiating its agreement with Oracle-Cerner over its new electronic health records (EHR) system, and legislators on both sides of the aisle are concerned that the new contract be more favorable to the VA and hold the EHR manufacturer more accountable for ongoing problems with the system. 

VA Efforts to Secure Its IT System Hampered by Congressional Doubts

For years, VA has struggled to secure its IT systems, with cybersecurity appearing as a persistent weakness in inspectors’ reports.

The department has said it believes that one of the steps toward making progress is addressing the buildup of outdated technology and software, or “technical debt,” that VA has accrued over the decades. VA estimates the total cost of fixing that current debt at $1.3 billion. 

What Will Be Cost of VA’s Legacy EHR System During Changeover?

What Will Be Cost of VA’s Legacy EHR System During Changeover?

WASHINGTON — As VA moves forward with the comprehensive overhaul of its electronic health records system, the department will still need to keep its legacy EHR system functioning well into the next decade. A recent Government Accountability Office report suggests, however, that the costs to do that—already totaling in the billions—may have been underestimated.