Don’t Expect Defense And VA Health Records To Share Data Anytime Soon

The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments have a long history of trying to integrate their existing electronic health records, and it doesn’t bode well for their future plans to improve information sharing. That’s the conclusion of the Government Accountability office.

The problems have resulted from more than a decade of poor management, planning and oversight along with insufficient accountability, according to Valerie Melvin, the GAO’s director of information management and technology resources issues....

Veterans Affairs Department Chief Information Officer Roger Baker told reporters in a press call on Thursday that officials halted the effort to develop an integrated electronic health record after cost estimates doubled to about $12 billion.  He said officials now expect to acquire 50 joint and shared applications, which he estimated will cost between $4 billion and $6 billion.