“The pilot facility of the VA’s Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program is experiencing health IT issues related to the patient portal, prescriptions, and community care, putting veteran patient safety at risk, according to Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05).”
“At the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Member Day, McMorris Rodgers gave testimony regarding the difficulties staff are experiencing at Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane.”
“’The EHRM was supposed to move veteran health care into the 21st century, modernizing VA operations and ensuring smooth and seamless care for veterans as they move through different VA departments,’ McMorris Rodgers wrote in her testimony.”
“’Unfortunately, the new system is not the improvement we hoped for, at least not yet,’ the Congresswoman continued. ‘It has put new stresses on Mann-Grandstaff, a vital lifeline for veterans in my district. Veterans are constantly reaching out to my offices with complaints and pleas for help.'”
“McMorris noted that she has repeatedly heard that veterans cannot easily communicate with their care team through the system’s patient portal. What’s more, her office has received reports that veterans’ appointments are being scheduled or changed without the veteran being notified. Veterans are also not receiving notifications when they receive provider messages in the patient portal after they had opted into notifications…”
“McMorris Rodgers also described a situation where a veteran went through withdrawal after his prescriptions were not properly converted to the new EHR system.”
“In addition to patient portal and prescription concerns, the Congresswoman noted an alarming backlog of community care.”
“According to McMorris Rodgers, there is a community care backlog of at least six months in her district, prolonging care access for at-risk veterans…” Read the full article here.
Source: VA EHRM Brings Patient Portal, Patient Safety Issues at Pilot Site – By Hannah Nelson, June 1, 2021. EHR Intelligence.
