The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs uses its proprietary VistA EHR across its more than 1,200 healthcare locations, but the VA could be looking to make a change, according to a Government Health IT report.
LaVerne Council, CIO of the VA, recently told U.S. House appropriators a new EHR could be considered due to changes in the VA's strategy, including an increased focus on mobility, security and connections with private sector providers, according to the report.
The VA must decide whether to move forward with the modernization of VistA or to shop for a new system altogether.
If the VA decides against sticking with its proprietary system, it would not be the first government entity to turn to outside vendors. The Department of Defense awarded a contract to Cerner, Leidos and Accenture for the overhaul of its health records.