The streamlined health record system will provide streamlined care for servicemembers and veterans.
The latest site to implement the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) electronic health record (EHR) system has gone live. VA rolled out the EHR system at the Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center in Walla Walla, Wash.
“This is a critical milestone in our efforts to support a lifetime of seamless care for service members from active duty to veteran status,” said Program Executive Director of VA’s Electronic Health Record Modernization Integration Office Terry Adirim, M.D. “This new electronic health record system will grant VA personnel access to patient records for service members and veterans in a single system, enabling them to provide quick, safe and effective care for all veterans.”
VA began the process of overhauling and modernizing their health record system in 2017. The new EHR system is a single, shared platform between VA, the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). By using a single platform, information will be able to be shared between VA, DoD and USCG. The new system will also allow providers access to EHR data for patients who are also seen by certain community providers or health systems. Participating providers will now also have a single point of entry to request access to health data for their patients.
The next rollout of the new EHR system is scheduled for April 30 at the VA Central Ohio Healthcare System in Columbus, Ohio. This rollout comes after the site previously faced a delay in February after a surge of COVID-19 cases impacted the workforce.
VA was not alone in the hurdles faced during the pandemic.
The American Legion was forced to pause Regional Office Action Review (ROAR) and System Worth Saving (SWS) site visits. The ROAR and SWS visits evolved from a 2002 survey and the information collected during these visits is delivered to Congress as part of The American Legion’s annual assessment of VA health-care facilities. The American Legion plans to resume SWS and ROAR visits this summer.
To learn more about VA’s transition to Electronic Health Records, visit ehrm.va.gov/resources/faqs.
- Veterans Healthcare