The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has experienced delays in converting facilities to its new electronic health record (EHR) capabilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but is now targeting October to implement the changes.
The VA’s Office of Electronic Health Record Modernization (OEHRM) has resumed activities at Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center (VAMC) in Spokane, Wash., and “will preserve the 10-year implementation schedule and the overall cost estimates of VA’s EHR modernization program,” the agency said.
“After a period of delay during which VAMCs focused on their response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are pleased to have our Electronic Health Record Modernization team resume activities with our facilities to move forward with a program that will transform VA and enhance Veteran care,” VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said in a press release. “As we implement the new EHR solution at these facilities, we will continue to prioritize the safety of our Veterans and our staff by following guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”
Going forward, the EHRM program will deploy the new EHR solution at facilities in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio.
“Beyond COVID-19, the VA strategy will remain flexible and agile while continuing to consider other factors that might require modifications to the order of facilities that will implement the new EHR solution,” the press release said.
