Health Care Modernization On Track, Acquisition Chief Says

Jim Garamone | U.S. Department of Defense | June 26, 2014

A multi-billion dollar acquisition to modernize DoD’s Electronic Health Record (EHR) and improve interoperability of healthcare information between the Defense Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs is on track, the Program Executive Officer for the Defense Healthcare Management Systems Modernization and Integrated Electronic Health Records program said today.  Christopher A. Miller told reporters that efforts to modernize DOD EHR are moving forward.  

Miller, a former Marine intelligence officer, has been in charge of the high-profile acquisition for nine months.   The acquisition strategy that is in place looks to having initial operating capability in 2016.  A large part of the program is to create a seamless process of healthcare information sharing among DOD, VA and private health care providers so service members will not need to tote paper records from one healthcare provider to another. VA health care officials would be able to access DOD health information.

The goal is all the more difficult, Miller said because there is no population like DOD’s.
“There are almost 10 million beneficiaries in thousands of locations from ships and subs to forward operating bases to major stateside facilities,” he said.  Miller’s organization is finalizing the draft request for procurement for an EHR...