The Department of Veterans Affairs's $16 billion Cerner EHR rollout is slated to redeploy in the next few months. From committee hearings to anticipated new leadership, here are six recent updates Becker's Hospital Review reported.
- One lawmaker has expressed concern that Cerner's EHR deployment with the VA will be unable to meet its 10-year deadline in 2028. Donald Remy, deputy secretary of the VA, testified before the House Appropriations Committee that Cerner's EHR rollout will get back on track because "success is non-negotiable."
- Mr. Remy testified at a hearing before the House Appropriations Committee that the department is still seeking $2.66 billion for the EHR deployment for fiscal year 2022. The VA requested the funds even though there is money left over from fiscal year 2021, the rollout was paused for several months of the year and the appropriations were to last three fiscal years.
- Since the VA deployed Cerner's EHR at Spokane, Wash.-based Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center approximately one year ago, 83 percent of employees said their morale has plummeted.
- President Joe Biden unveiled plans to nominate Kurt DelBene as the CIO and assistant secretary for information and technology at the Department of Veterans Affairs. If confirmed by the Senate, Mr. DelBene would be tasked with guiding the VA's rollout of the $16 billion Cerner EHR system.
- Rep. Kim Schrier, MD, D-Wash., warned VA Secretary Denis McDonough that the Cerner EHR rollout has negatively affected patients' care and caused burnout among clinicians after she visited a VA clinic in Wenatchee, Wash.
- The VA's Cerner EHR deployment proceeded despite significant known challenges reported in its scheduling tool, the Office of Inspector General detailed in a report.