The proposed VA budget for fiscal year 2018 provides the system with $4.4 billion in discretionary funding, representing a 6 percent increase from the previous year. However, some Congressmen at the hearing were skeptical of the budget increase due to challenges the VA has faced in recent years.
A key frustration included funds the VA has spent on developing VistA, its current homegrown EHR, which has displayed a range of issues in recent years — including not being interoperable with the U.S. Department of Defense.
“The VistA system is something that, frankly, VA should be proud of,” Dr. Shulkin said, according to Federal News Radio. “It invented it. It was the leader in electronic health records, but, frankly, that’s old history. We have to look at keeping up and modernizing the system.”
Dr. Shulkin will decide whether the VA will move its EHR to a commercial platform in July.
“Every time we sit up here and talk to people at this table, we always keep asking the same question,” said Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Fla., according to Federal News Radio. “You could be the best VA Secretary of all time if you solve this problem.”
More articles on health IT:
Trump establishes American Technology Council
VA, Department of Energy unveil Big Data Science Initiative
Kalorama Information: Cerner leads EMR market, Epic ranks 3rd
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.
