WASHINGTON—The rollout of VA’s new medical scheduling system has been delayed an additional two years, with the end date being pushed from 2023 to 2025, VA officials announced last month. VA had separated implementation of the new system from its larger...
VA: MISSION Act Rollout Appears to Have Gone Well in First Three Months
WASHINGTON—Three months following the implementation of the MISSION Act, VA leaders testified before Congress that the sweeping changes to the agency’s community care standards are rolling out smoothly. Concerns remain, however, about veterans’ lack of understanding...
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.
Five Miles High? VA Document Backlog Is Stacking Up, OIG Reports
WASHINGTON — If stacked, VA’s backlog of paper medical documents that are waiting to be digitalized—most generated by veterans’ visits to non-VA providers—would be over 5 miles high, according to a report from the VA inspector general.
High Satisfaction with Teledermatology at Atlanta VAMC
ATLANTA—The VA has rolled out a number of telehealth initiatives over the last years, with remote visits to dermatologists being offered to more and more veterans. But how well is the program working? A new study maintained that teledermatology is comparable to...
Ongoing IT Problems at VA Could Hamper Shared EMR System With DoD
WASHINGTON—High turnover among leadership, gaps in accountability, and long-standing problems in cybersecurity represent significant challenges for VA in its ongoing efforts to improve its IT infrastructure, oversight officials told legislators last month. These...
VA Announces Plans to Create 3D-Printed Artificial Lung
3D Printing Already Personalizes Care in Other Ways ANN ARBOR, MI—VA scientists in Michigan recently announced they are working to create a three-dimensional-printed artificial lung. The lab-created lung could transform treatment for some of the approximately one...
Richmond VAMC Nurse Develops Interventional Radiology Manual
When Jennifer Farrell, RN, arrived at the Richmond VAMC in February 2015, the interventional radiology department was in its infancy.
VA, DoD Formally Agree to Create ‘Seamless’ EHR System
After years of pressure from Congress and advocacy groups, the DoD and VA have formally agreed to work together to implement “a single, seamlessly integrated electronic health record that will accurately and efficiently share health data.”
Decision Tool Helps Decide Who Should Get Lung Cancer Screening
A new online decision tool helps clinicians determine when to recommend lung cancer screening for their patients.
Cost Matters Most in Patient Preference for ED Diagnostic Testing
Diagnostic testing is often used during emergency department (ED) visits. But, in the rush to diagnosis and treat patients, often not much attention is paid to patient preferences for such testing, according to a recent study.
A ‘Trigger’ Can Make Sure Abnormal TSH Levels Are Followed Up
In busy outpatient clinics, following up on abnormal test results too often falls by the wayside, according to a new study.
New House Subcommittee Will Oversee VA EHR Implementation
The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs is gearing up for greater oversight of VA’s electronic health record implementation with the creation of a new oversight subcommittee.
SCAN-ECHO Improves Care for VA Liver Disease Patients
While specialty care has been associated with improved survival in patients with liver disease, convenient access to specialists isn’t available to all patients.
Remote Disease Management Program Improves Outcomes in the Northwest
A telehealth-based chronic disease management program which included clinical pharmacy specialists (CPS) had positive outcomes on primary care outcomes in a rural area, according to a new study.
Tele-ICU Program Reduces Transfers of VA’s ICU Patients
Most intensive care units (ICUs) in smaller, community, and regional hospitals aren’t able to support intensivist staffs to provide advanced critical care.
VA Inks Contract for Massive New Health Record System
Calling it one of the largest IT contracts in the federal government, with a ceiling of $10 billion over a decade, then-VA Acting Secretary Robert Wilkie announced that the agency signed a contract with Cerner for its new electronic health record (EHR).
Stick-on Monitors Help Warn of Heart Failure Exacerbation in VA Study
While implantable devices have shown promise in reducing rehospitalization for heart failure (HF), VA researchers sought to determine if options that are less expensive and non-invasive would have comparable results.
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