Print

February 03, 2011

Fierce Government IT

GAO: Despite commonalities, DoD and VA lack health IT jointness

by David Perera

The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments continue to pursue individual health information technology systems rather than determine a common best approach, says a new Government Accountability Office report.

The report, dated Feb. 2., recommends that the departments have a process for identifying joint system investments, given the high similarity of health IT needs at the two organizations.

The DoD is preparing a next iteration of its current collection of systems known together as AHLTA (the replacement is called EHR Way Ahead), while the VA halted in August 2010 its HealtheVet initiative to supersede its VistA system. A May 2010 DoD report done in coordination with the VA found that the departments share 10 of 13 core health IT requirements.

The departments do have underway a cooperative health IT project in what's to be the first DoD/VA medical facility operated under a single line of authority, the report notes, but the project is being treated as a pilot by both departments. The facility is the James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago, Ill.; the health IT system there should allow caregivers to update patient information contained in AHLTA and VistA through a single user interface.

The department also has an effort underway known as Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record which should allow both organizations, plus private sector care givers, to share patient-related information by the end of 2012. But, the departments have yet to develop a comprehensive plan to guide nationwide implementation or an integrated master schedule or performance metrics, the report says. Officials at the VLER Interagency Program Office told GAO auditors a master program plan is underdevelopment and should gain approval in late 2011.

In fact, the priority the FHCC system and VLER have received has inhibited the departments from formulating specific plans to address their common EHR requirements, the report says. GAO authors recommend the departments develop a joint health IT architecture to the point where it's actionable. They also say the department should have a process for selecting joint IT investments, recommendations that officials at both agencies said they will undertake.

Click on VA and DoD Collaboration to access the Government Accounting Office report.