“The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a review of the VA’s transition to a new electronic health record (new EHR) at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center (facility) in Spokane, Washington. The facility was scheduled to be the first Veterans Health Administration (VHA) medical center to implement the new EHR system with an initial go-live date of March 28, 2020. On February 10, the facility’s go-live date was postponed…”
“… Although the facility’s initial go-live date has been postponed, the OIG determined that going live at a later date with decreased capabilities and the need to employ necessary mitigation strategies still presents a significant risk to patient safety beyond the inherent risk of deployment of an EHR system.”
“The OIG made three recommendations to the Under Secretary for Health related to (1) the impact of the new EHR system implementation on productivity and the provision of operational guidance and required resources to facilities prior to going live; (2) identification of the impact of the mitigation strategies on user and patient experience when going live; and (3) a reevaluation of the EHR modernization deployment timeline to minimize the number of required mitigation strategies when going live.”
“The OIG made one recommendation to the Executive Director of the Office of Electronic Health Records Modernization related to ensuring clear guidance is given to facility staff on what electronic health record capabilities will be available at the go-live date…”
Read the full 49-page report here.
Source: Review of Access to Care and Capabilities during VA’s Transition to a New Electronic Health Record System at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center, Spokane, Washington – April 27, 2020. VA OIG.
