Better project management and better planning were among
the recommendations the General Accounting Office made to
the Department of Veteran’s Affairs and the Department of
Defense to improve an area critical to VA’s information
technology efforts, the existence and availability of
electronic patient records.
GAO said little progress had been made since last fall when
it found that one-way information had been realized between
the two departments. It said that while department officials
recognize the importance of an information architecture to
making their health systems compatible, the one they rely on
is too non-specific — a high level strategy in place since
September 2002.
VA officials said they were in the early stages of defining
a better electronic interface for data exchange between
departments, veterans, military personnel and their health
care providers, but GAO said that effort was marred by a
lack of sound project management to guide interdepartmental
actions. Neither department has the authority to bind the
other to any decision, GAO said.
