The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, whose technology modernization efforts haven't gone as planned, is hoping a former Microsoft executive can transform its aging systems, The Wall Street Journal reported March 4.
The agency is working to replace an in-house system of medical records and other data that was developed in the 1980s. The cost of the replacement has been estimated to be $16.1 billion, according to The Journal.
With the appointment of Kurt DelBene, former senior executive of Microsoft, who joined the VA in January as assistant secretary for information and technology and CIO, said he plans to implement greater discipline for the department through a metrics-based approach.
"This isn't about changing the ship and ship's direction, it's about getting these disciplines in place and then turning the crank over and over again," Mr. DelBene said in the report.
According to Mr. DelBene, this type of approach will improve delivery on the VA’s health records modernization initiative, in which the agency is rolling out Cerner's EHR software to replace its legacy system.