Dashboard Sought to to Track VA’s $21B EHR Modernization Program

The Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a data dashboard that can keep the organization up-to-date on its $21 billion health record modernization project.

According to a request for information issued by the Office of Electronic Health Records Modernization, the dashboard must facilitate communications and convey information about scheduling, tasks and deadlines related to the EHR modernization project. It must also reach all stakeholders and be able to operate jointly with a dashboard developed for the Defense Health Agency. The platform must also support executive-level decision-making, FCW reported Tuesday.

VA said one of the reasons it needs the dashboard is because it cannot use the DHA dashboard due to licensing restrictions and data interoperability issues. Contracting documents also revealed that data gathered by the dashboard will help in the development of risk management contingency plans and strategies. The solution is also expected to improve collaboration among internal and external stakeholders.

The documents state that the dashboard is an urgent need for joint VA and Department of Defense sites.

VA initially rolled out the Cerner Millennium EHR system at the Mann-Grandstaff Medical Center in Spokane, Washington, but the agency had issues with training and usability. Ultimately, the VA had to delay the second wave of the EHR rollout to sort out known issues.

Meanwhile, the DOD has completed around 30 percent of its EHR modernization efforts, while the U.S. Coast Guard shifted all of its onshore locations to the new system.