The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Defense Department
have undertaken a complex and challenging approach to
establishing a two-way exchange of patient information
between their separate health information systems that could
benefit from improved planning and project maintenance, the
Government Accountability Office has said.
It said VA and DoD lack an explicit blueprint specifying the
specific technologies that will be used to achieve the data
exchange by the end of 2005, and that the departments have
not fully implemented a project management structure or have
ensured the necessary day-to-day guidance and accountability
for their investment in and implementation of this project.
Their inability to establish lead decision-making authority
has left the departments at risk of investing in a capability
that could fall short of what is expected and what is needed,
said GAO.
