GAO: Poor Project Planning, Management Doomed VA-DoD iEHR

Historically, efforts to make the EHR systems used by the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense (VA, DoD) have failed as a result of inadequate project planning and poor management, according to a recent testimony delivered by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Director Information Management and Technology Resources Valerie C. Melvin to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

The latest decision by the VA and DoD to abandon the development of joint integrated EHR (iEHR) serves yet again as an example of how a lack of coordination and leadership can negatively impact even a well-funded project. “VA’s and DOD’s revised approach to developing iEHR highlights the need for the departments to address barriers they have faced in key IT,” argued Melvin...