U.S. Congress seeks tighter controls on VA’s troubled EHR program
WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES — Lawmakers are pushing for tighter controls over the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) problem-plagued electronic health record (EHR) modernization program and remaining plans to integrate Oracle Health EHR.
Congressional plan targets EHR modernization failures
The proposed oversight plan, as reported by Healthcare IT News, seeks to address the VA’s struggle in its EHR modernization effort, which has been marred by cost overruns, training gaps, and patient safety risks.
The draft legislation would give Congress the power to oversee deployments, hold leaders accountable, and require detailed reports on resources and preparedness prior to new installations.
One requirement is that the VA must provide baseline clinical workflows within 90 days and ensure consistency across its facilities.
“This provision mandates that VA conduct a full inventory of clinical workflows, compare them to best practices, and set a national baseline,” said Cole Lyle in his written testimony, Director of the Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Division at the American Legion.
“Why is this important? Because inconsistent workflows across sites have caused breakdowns in communication, training gaps and patient safety concerns,” he added, noting that such variation in the work process has resulted in some safety issues and communication failures, which is why standardization plays a very important role in taking care of veterans.
Moreover, the VA will be required to provide an implementation readiness report 90 days in advance of each rollout, covering funding, staffing, and technical support.
Safeguarding data and improving governance
The draft also includes strict prohibitions against the monetization or misuse of veterans’ health data in contracts with third-party vendors. This move follows growing concerns about data security and patient privacy in the context of large-scale digital health transitions.
Vendors would be contractually barred from selling or exploiting covered information within a year of the bill’s passage.
The proposal also outlines a clear governance structure, dividing oversight among the Deputy VA Secretary, the Under Secretary for Health, and the Assistant Secretary for IT.
While the VA supports the intent, Cherri Waters, acting Deputy Chief Information Officer (CIO), noted the need to refine technical aspects. Lawmakers argue that defined roles and stricter data rules will prevent future mismanagement and ensure smoother EHR adoption.
