Massive Digital Health System for Veterans Plagued by Patient Safety Risks, Watchdog Finds
By Lisa Rein
The Department of Veterans Affairs' $16 billion project to digitize health records kicked off in late 2020, spawning clinical, technical, and management quandaries that have compromised patient safety. More than one year later, three new reports from the agency's inspector general have found that problems ranging from medication mistakes to inadequate monitoring of suicidal patients remain a threat. The IG's update is stoking concern as the modernization effort prepares to expand to a second VA hospital. The initial software rollout included Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane, WA, plus four satellite clinics in Washington, Idaho, and Montana. On March 26, the new electronic records system is scheduled to go live at the VA hospital in Walla Walla, WA, although the overarching issues have not been resolved. The goal of the initiative was to seamlessly link veterans' medicals records during active duty to private life, but IG Michael J. Missal said in a statement that implementation has been marred by "serious deficiencies and failures ... which increased the risk to patient safety and made it more difficult for clinicians to provide quality health care." Legislators reacted angrily to the reports, with at least one lawmaker proposing to scrap the program completely.
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