Universal VA e-health records coming your way

A lifetime electronic health record for members of the military and veterans is not just a dream; it's the reality that the Obama administration is determined to achieve.

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki raised the idea two months ago at a congressional hearing. He called for the automatic enrollment of all veterans in the VA health system. This week, Shinseki's office confirmed for Stars and Stripes that veterans will be able to automatically link to a sophisticated electronic system.

"Secretary Shinseki and the whole [VA] team believe that 'uniform registration' is an essential part of the lifetime virtual record," said Katie Roberts, his press secretary.

On April 9, President Obama told a group of veterans that a comprehensive electronic record system is being developed to be used jointly by the Defense Department and the VA. The project has been underway for some time, but it is Obama's goal to make it a reality across the VA. Still, there are multiple problems in accomplishing this, from linking different systems to one system, to getting all VA hospitals up to speed with the same software.

Obama said the ultimate system would hold all service-related documents--administrative and medical--from the time an individual enters service until "they are laid to rest." The president also has set a goal to launch e-health records across private health systems, a massive project that could take years to accomplish.

For more on DoD and Veteran electronic records:
- check out this Stars and Stripes article