E-Records Project Taken From DoD Health Office

DoD Health Office Loses Control of E-Record Project

After five years and an estimated $1 billion spent trying to build a single integrated electronic health record (iEHR) system with the Department of Veterans Affairs, defense health officials have been taken off the project, sources confirm.

Wielding the hook was Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel who signaled disappointment with his management team to a House panel this month, saying he halted a solicitation for bids from commercial electronic record designers because "I didn't think we knew what the hell we were doing."

A congressional source confirmed that DoD oversight for developing an interoperable electronic health records is now under Frank Kendall, under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics. The shift was first reported Monday by the news website NextGov.