Cerner Legacy: VA Health Records Controversy & Reported FAIL

Special thanks to one of our KICK-ASS TKC READERS for sending word of this important tech postscript as the biggest private employer transition into new ownership.

Here are the basics . . .

"The Senate approved a bill Thursday to require the VA to submit quarterly reports to lawmakers on the performance and costs of the Electronic Health Record Modernization program, or EHRM. The bill already passed the House in a voice vote in November, meaning it now heads to President Joe Biden for his signature.

"A VA hospital in Spokane, Washington, was forced to suspend patient admissions and appointments after the records system, estimated by the agency to cost $16.1 billion, crashed in March. Multiple inspector general reports and news stories have highlighted issues with the rollout of the system that risked patient safety, as well as cost overruns."

More detail and a glimpse at the EPIC costs of this tech mistake . . .

"The system, built by health technology powerhouse Cerner, was first launched at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane in November 2020. After several delays, it was also rolled out in Walla Walla, Washington, and Columbus, Ohio, earlier this year.

"In March, the VA inspector general released a series of three reports that found the system failed to flag patients who had been identified as suicide risks, gave doctors inaccurate information about patients' medications, and caused delays in scheduling appointments, among other patient safety risks.

"Those reports came after the IG in a pair of 2021 reports found the VA's $16.1 billion cost estimate for the program is likely an underestimate of as much as $5.1 billion because planning and reports to Congress did not include physical and IT infrastructure costs."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

VA Ordered to Report Performance of Troubled Health Records System to Congress

The Department of Veterans Affairs will be required to regularly report the performance -- including incidents that risk patient safety -- of its troubled electronic health records systems to Congress under new legislation headed to the president's desk.

Watchdog reveals flaw in Cerner computer system caused nearly 150 cases of harm at Spokane VA hospital

News Nation/World Sun., June 19, 2022 After a visit to the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane, Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough speaks to the media during a press conference on April 28, 2021.

Developing . . .