Members of Congress are praising the Department of Veterans Affairs' decision to halt its rollout of the Oracle Cerner EHR system at additional facilities until it can address problems with the system at facilities already using it, FedScoop reported April 21. 

Electronic health information exchange among hospitals and physicians has been steadily increasing in recent years, but disparities remain among rural and small hospitals as they may not be able to afford to participate, according to an April 21 survey from the GAO. 

The Department of Veterans Affairs is halting all future deployments of its Oracle Cerner EHR system until it can address problems with the system at facilities already using it, FedScoop reported April 21.  

From teaming up with Microsoft to integrate generative AI into its EHR software to joining a new health information exchange network, here is a look at where EHR giant Epic is extending its partnerships in 2023: 

As Congress tries to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs troubled Oracle Cerner EHR rollout, the VA and government watchdogs say the proposals aren't likely to fix the issues with the system, FedScoop reported April 20. 

EHR vendor Epic pays for its employees to visit a country they've never been to every five years.

EHR vendors Epic Systems and eClinicalWorks both announced they would integrate generative AI into their EHR systems to enable customers to increase productivity and enhance patient care.

Oracle is partnering with consulting company Deloitte to expand its health technology offerings designed to increase connectivity.

Mishawaka, Ind.-based Franciscan Health is migrating its Epic EHR system to Microsoft's Azure cloud. 

The Department of Veterans Affairs Oracle Cerner EHR system experienced a five-hour service disruption on April 17, FedScoop reported April 18. 

After moving its EHR system to Microsoft Azure, eClinicalWorks is integrating ChatGPT and other OpenAI tools into its EHR and practice management systems.

Epic is partnering with Microsoft to develop and integrate generative AI into its EHR software, with health systems beginning to pilot the new integrations.

Columbus-based OhioHealth is integrating smart room technology into its Epic EHR through a new partnership with Vibe Health by eVideon.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is putting a pause on its $16 billion Oracle Cerner EHR rollout as it looks to renegotiate a contract with Oracle that was originally signed in 2017, The Wall Street Journal reported April 14. 

Louisville, Ky.-based Baptist Health will continue using a precision medicine tool integrated into its Epic EHR for several more years.

Hospitals and health systems using an Epic or Cerner EHR system can access Microsoft Teams for virtual visits within their EHRs. 

Yonkers, N.Y.-based Saint Joseph's Medical Center is expanding its Oracle Health EHR system and its Cerner RevElate patient accounting system to its 12 clinic health systems. 

Dayton (Ohio) Children's is adding biometric authentication company BIO-key's PortalGuard IDaaS platform as it moves from its Epic Systems' Hyperspace application to a new browser-based Hyperdrive application.

Don Kleoppel, former chief security officer of Cerner, has recently joined health IT provider Greenway Health. 

Epic doesn't sunset its software because it believes in its updates and wants its clients to use them, founder and CEO Judy Faulkner wrote in a recent blog post.