VA Likely to Endorse Use of iPhones, iPads, Android Devices

The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to expand mobile use by clinicians and employees beyond BlackBerrys to include devices such as Android, iPhones and iPad models.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has revealed plans to allow clinicians in the department's health facilities to use additional mobile devices such as iPhones, iPads and Android devices to exchange email and access EHRs (electronic health records).

Clinicians would be allowed to use the mobile devices by Oct. 1, Roger Baker, the VA's CIO and assistant secretary for information and technology, told reporters in a June 30 briefing. FierceGovernmentIT has posted an audio recording of the call.

The VA would perform a security screening of employees' devices before approving their use. "We will review the software first to make sure there's no threat to connectivity," Baker said. The department is undecided if clinicians would use their personal devices or if the department would purchase them.

Because of timing issues, Baker believes it will be faster to let employees use their own mobile devices rather than have the department purchase them for employees in bulk.