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Read. Follow. Verify.Congressional Hearing on VA IT Modernization and Scheduling
Record date · January 1, 2017
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What This Bill Does
This document is a transcript of a 2016 joint House subcommittee hearing regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) efforts to modernize its aging health information technology systems. The hearing focused on upgrading scheduling software and the IT infrastructure required to consolidate programs.
The hearing addresses the modernization of the VA's 1980s-era scheduling system, which directly impacts how veterans book medical appointments and how the VA processes claims for community-based healthcare providers.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Veterans
The modernization of scheduling and community care systems directly impacts the process by which veterans book medical appointments and receive care.
Community Healthcare Providers
The consolidation of community care networks and associated IT systems changes how these providers process claims with the VA.
Key Facts
- The hearing was held on April 14, 2016, by the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- The VA currently relies on the VistA health information system, which was originally developed in the 1980s.
- The VA has been planning to procure commercial, state-of-the-art scheduling software since late 2012.
- The VA released a draft request for proposal (RFP) for a consolidated community care network on April 13, 2016.
Show all 6 facts
- The hearing examined the IT requirements necessary to support the consolidation of community care programs.
- Responsibility for VA health IT systems is shared between the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the Office of Information and Technology (OI&T).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is VistA?
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News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceFull breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Transition to Commercial Software
The VA shifted its strategy from maintaining legacy VistA systems to procuring commercial, state-of-the-art scheduling software.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment15Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz10Current news / social attention level
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