Industry posse to revitalize VA e-health records

A "who's-who" of private sector technology companies met on Wednesday to caucus on ways to modernize the federal electronic health record system that stores the medical records for millions of veterans and their families. The impetus of the gathering was provided by the Industry Advisory Council, a 550-member group of tech companies. IAC invited top executives from about 40 high-tech companies to form the Veterans Health Information System and Technology Architecture (VistA) working group, according to nextgov.com.

VistA, an electronic health record system that the Veterans Affairs Department has been in operation for two decades. The hope is that it could be used as a foundation for an e-health record system that President Obama is dedicated to creating as part of his health reform initiative.

Roger Baker, chief information officer at VA who requested IAC to form the working group, called the VistA system "the best in the world," and has asked the IT industry to look into leveraging it "for the betterment of the country." Although the meeting Wednesday was closed to the public and press, IAC said it expects to complete the VistA project in six months.

For more on the VA and e-health records:
- see this nextgov.com article

Related Articles:
VA-DoD e-health records far from connected
Obama's e-health record plan faces obstacles