VA Struggles with EHR Modernization Amid Usability and Cost Concerns
GAO
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Contributed by: Kate Gamble
Summary
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is making gradual updates to its electronic health record (EHR) system, which has faced a pause in its 2023 rollout amid user concerns. During this hiatus, the VA has implemented over 1,500 configuration changes but still has around 1,800 unresolved requests. While the agency has made some enhancements in patient safety and system performance, it has not yet revised cost estimates or the rollout schedule, which are critical for project oversight. A 2022 analysis estimated that the total costs for EHR modernization could approach $50 billion, highlighting the need for the VA to reassess its budgeting and to set a baseline for measuring progress, particularly in relation to the configuration change requests. User feedback remains largely negative, despite some improvements being reported in 2024.
