Top Democrats on the House Veterans Affairs Committee want to launch an investigation into the hold up of the Department of Veterans Affairs' $16 billion EHR overhaul project that will replace the VA's outdated, legacy system, VistA, with Cerner and be interoperable with the Department of Defense, according to Nextgov.
In a letter sent to Acting VA Secretary Robert Wilkie May 2, Reps. Julia Brownley, D-Calif., ranking member on the VA committee's health panel, and Annie Kuster, D-N.H., ranking member on the investigations panel, are asking the VA and the inspector general to investigate allegations against President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago physician. Bruce Moskowitz, MD, was participating in calls about the project and delaying its implementation because he disliked the software, citing his own experiences with it.
"A new electronic health record system — that better connects with DOD health records — is imperative for improving care for our country's veterans," Ms. Brownley said in a statement obtained by Nextgov. "Any delay in implementation is simply unacceptable, especially one that has been caused by inappropriate interference by personal friends of the president."
The VA was finalizing its contract with Cerner, but that process has been stalled since President Trump fired VA Secretary David Shulkin, MD, in March. However, VA Press Secretary Curt Cashour in April said negotiations would proceed despite no permanent leadership fix.
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