The Modernization Act promised to make the access to medical records easier for Veterans, representatives, and physicians by turning all records over to an electronic health record system.  During last weeks Senate VA Committee meeting Senator Tester showed concern for the completion of and the money spent to complete the EHR by the end of 2020.

“As of April 18th, the joint health exchange worked”, according to Secretary Wilkie who spoke to the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs during the 2021 and 2022 FY budget hearing.  “Spokane and Seattle will be running this year.”

According to Secretary Wilkie, “the private sector can work the records.”  The VA did take practitioners off of the EHR in order to put them on the Covid frontlines.

All 73 interfaces now work according to Secretary Wilkie, which “will revolutionize how Veterans receive their medical records.”

Senator Tester showed concern overt the increased budget to spread the infrastructure remodeling.  In response Secretary Wilkie stated that this increased budget is due to the many facilities that date back to the 19th century and boasted that “we are in a much better position than we were when I last spoke to this committee.”

2.5 billion has been spent so far on the EHR. We will have to wait until 2021 to see what is working and what was just another promise.