Accession Number:

AD1173565

Title:

Electronic Health Records: DOD and VA Efforts to Achieve Full Interoperability Are Ongoing; Program Office Management Needs Improvement

Descriptive Note:

[Technical Report, Congressional Report]

Corporate Author:

United States Government Accountability Office

Personal Author(s):

• Melvin, Valerie C.

Report Date:

2009-07-01

Pagination or Media Count:

35

Abstract:

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 required the Department of Defense DOD and the Department of Veterans Affairs VA to accelerate their exchange of health information and to develop systems or capabilities that allow for interoperability generally, the ability of systems to exchange data by September 30, 2009. It also required compliance with federal standards and the establishment of a joint interagency program office to function as a single point of accountability for the effort. Further, the act directed GAO to semiannually report on the progress made in achieving these requirements. For this third report, GAO evaluated 1 the departments progress and plans toward sharing fully interoperable electronic health information that comply with federal standards and 2 whether the interagency program office is positioned to function as a single point of accountability. To do so, GAO analyzed agency documentation on project status and conducted interviews with agency officials.

Descriptors:

• information systems
• computer programs
• information exchange
• organizational structure
• congress
• health services
• united states government
• personnel management
• department of veterans affairs
• health care
• health informatics
• united states
• department of defense
• house of representatives
• business administration
• governments
• management personnel

Subject Categories:

• Information Science
• Medicine and Medical Research

Distribution Statement:

[A, Approved For Public Release]