The Department of Veterans Affairs is halting all future deployments of its Oracle Cerner EHR system until it can address problems with the system at facilities already using it, FedScoop reported April 21.
The VA said it will not conduct additional deployments of the EHR system until it is “highly functioning.”
The VA is also working with Congress on more resource allocations for the EHR program and said that it estimates that costs for fiscal year 2023 will be reduced by $400 million.
The VA’s Cerner EHR system has been only rolled out at its Spokane (Wash.) VA Health Care System; VA Walla Walla (Wash.) Health Care; Roseburg (Ore.) VA Health Care System; White City-based VA Southern Oregon Health Care; and Whitehall-based VA Central Ohio Health Care System.
“This reset period will allow us to focus on fixing what’s wrong, listening to those we serve, and laying the foundation for a modern electronic health record that delivers for veterans and clinicians,” said Denis McDonough, the VA’s secretary.
Oracle told Becker’s that it supports the VA’s decision to improve operations of the EHR system at the current sites and is willing to take the necessary time to make changes to the system.
“We will continue to closely coordinate with VA to provide enhancements and updates to the EHR,” Mike Sicilia, executive vice president of Oracle’s global industries told Becker’s. “We appreciate Secretary McDonough’s leadership on this project and reiterate our commitment to providing VA and our nation’s veterans with an EHR that exceeds expectations.”
