Lawmakers demand fixes in VA health records before any more rollouts – By Leo Shane III (Federal Times) / Jan 31, 2023
Veterans Affairs leaders would be blocked from deploying the department’s new electronic health records system at any additional medical centers until significant safeguards are put in place, under legislation introduced Tuesday by House Republicans.
“[The system] has crippled the delivery of care, put veteran patient safety at risk, and stressed an already overwhelmed healthcare system,” House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost, R-Ill., said in a statement accompanying the unveiling of the bill.
“While I commend the [VA] secretary for pausing deployment of the new electronic health record at future sites, I am not confident that will be enough.”
Last October, VA leaders announced that all future deployments of the Oracle Cerner records platform would be delayed until at least June 2023 “to address challenges with the system and make sure it is functioning optimally for veterans and for VA health care personnel.”
