After 40 minutes of debate, the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday night passed Sen. Elizabeth Dole's 21st Century Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act, which is related to the Department of Veterans Affairs' ongoing modernization of electronic medical records. The original clause dealing with matters was missing from the bill. The text of the bill.
Why is it important?
The House Veterans Affairs Committee has approved a “flagship veterans package” that focuses on expanding veteran employment opportunities, improving the Veterans Administration's community care programs, removing barriers to disability benefits, and improving care opportunities. It was announced that it received overwhelming support from all parties.
“We have spent nearly two years listening to the veteran community to build a VA that meets the needs of today's communities and puts veterans at the center of the system, not government bureaucrats,” the committee said. “We've identified gaps in services for veterans.” Chairman Rep. Mike Bost (R-Ill.) said in a statement.
But in a bill introduced May 14, Title V, proposed as the Electronic Health Records Program Restructuring, Strengthening, Enhancement, and Technology Enhancement Act of 2024, or the EHR Program RESET Act, would include It includes the protection of personal information and stipulates some implementation and content. Imposing reporting requirements would increase oversight of the embattled Oracle Cerner EHR by “appropriate Congressional committees.”
“The Secretary shall submit, as appropriate, a certification containing supporting data that the indicators described in section . Submit to a Congressional Committee.'' According to the text deleted from the original bill, certification under this paragraph is made. ”
Notably, a provision that could have led to dramatic changes in VA's new EHR offering was removed.
“Beginning two years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may exercise option periods or mandates or extend contracts to perform (EHRM), except prior to that date.'' two years after the date of enactment of this law. ”
The bill was sent to the Senate on Tuesday.
bigger trends
Bost and other representatives claim that. In introducing the EHRM Improvement Act last year, the House Veterans Affairs Committee chair sought to require the Veterans Administration and Oracle to demonstrate safety and effectiveness before deploying new EHRs in additional medical centers. did.
“Too many VA employees and veterans are being negatively impacted by the Oracle Cerner EHR system if current project plans continue at other VA locations before significant improvements are made.” Bost said of the currently stalled bill.
The senators are also calling for new oversight provisions in Oracle's contract review, allowing for a revised contract structure last year to address software coding errors and other issues that compromise the quality and security of EHR deployments. We are asking the Veterans Administration to hold vendors accountable for this.
“We encourage you to take the opportunity provided by the new contract structure to reconsider the terms and add accountability and oversight provisions to protect veterans and taxpayers,” said John, D-Mont. Senator Tester. Patty Murray, D-Washington; Ohio Democrat Sherrod Brown said in a May 6 letter to Tanya Bradsher, deputy secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
In a recent audit, the Veterans Administration's Office of Inspector General found that veterans receiving VA care are suffering from a lack of consistency and weaknesses in some of the controls regulating EHR configuration management and oversight. found that measures are still needed to reduce the risks of
Last week, President-elect Donald J. Trump nominated former Rep. Doug Collins, a Republican from Georgia, to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
On record
“This is a major milestone for our nation's veterans, caregivers, survivors, and their families. With strong bipartisan passage in the House of Representatives, Sen. Elizabeth Dole's 21st Century Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act This is a fitting tribute to Senator Dole's legacy of advocacy and service,” Steve Schwab, CEO of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, said in a statement to the House Veterans Affairs Committee.
“We are deeply grateful to the leadership of the House of Representatives and look forward to swift passage of this bill in the Senate,” he said. “We must sign this legislation to make meaningful change for the people who have contributed so much to our country.”
Andrea Fox is a senior editor at Healthcare IT News.
Email: afox@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a publication of HIMSS Media.
