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 Advanced information technology in the patient care setting serves to reduce medical errors, improve diagnoses, and create other efficiencies that keep our interdisciplinary care teams focused on patients rather than on menial tasks. As a VA employee, you'll have the opportunity to work with technologies that experts say are the best in the Nation.
Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS)
Using desktops and wireless laptops that can access CPRS anywhere in the patient care setting, our care teams have instant, secure access to each Veteran's complete health record, including patient history, lab results, medications, x-rays, and other diagnostic imaging. They can also place a variety of orders for tests, prescriptions, etc., and the system will red flag any bad requests, like a drug that would interact harmfully with other current medications.
CPRS is networked across all VA medical centers, outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities, and domiciliaries—1,400 sites of care throughout VA—so patients' records are available no matter which VA facility they visit throughout the U.S. This is extremely important to Veterans when they are traveling or in rare instances where they may be displaced by natural disasters. In either case, they experience no disruption in their care.
In recognition of this system's impact on health care throughout VA, Harvard University's Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation recently awarded its prestigious "Innovations in American Government Award" to VA.
Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA) system
VA's most rapidly adopted technology, the BCMA system was suggested by a VA nurse as an automated way to reduce medication dispensing errors. When a prescription is filled in any VA facility's pharmacy department, the BCMA system generates a bar code that is placed on either the bottle or intravenous bag. The bar code registers the type of medicine, who it is for, when it should be administered, in what dose, and by whom. All VA patients and nurses wear an ID bracelet with a bar code, and both bracelets must be scanned prior to administering any drug. If the nurse has the wrong patient or wrong medicine, the computer says so. Thanks to BCMA, VA has now virtually eliminated dispensing errors.
Telehealth
VA telehealth programs are the largest and most sophisticated in the nation, providing care for more than 230,000 patients in 144 VA medical centers and 450 community based outpatient clinics. The mission of telehealth programs at VA is to provide Veterans with the right care in the right place at the right time. Telehealth is key to improving access to health care and continuity of care in rural areas. There are three major types of telehealth: General, Home, and Store-and-Forward.
In General Telehealth, VA physicians and other providers use electronic communication technologies for consultation evaluations and care coordination. Home Telehealth provides in-home monitoring of Veterans, allowing them to stay connected to their care providers remotely. Store-and-Forward Telehealth technologies acquire and store clinical information (e.g., data, image, sound, and video) that is then forwarded to (or retrieved by) another site for clinical evaluation.
Our most recent successful telehealth implementation features teleretinal imaging to 103 sites across the nation, providing care to more than 175,000 Veterans with diabetes.
Telehealth changes the location where health care services are routinely provided and supports Veterans' preferences to live in the least restrictive settings possible. Watch this video to learn more about VA's telehealth program
My HealtheVet Web site
This site allows Veterans and their families to interact electronically with VA and keep track of their health. Enrolled Veterans can access their complete health history or graph recent health readings (e.g., blood pressure) from their home computers, or they can give permission for others to do so. They can also order prescription refills and view their prescription history. As this site evolves, so will its effectiveness in improving Veterans' health through a virtual partnership between Veterans and their VA care teams.
Professional development technology
VA also has invested in an information technology infrastructure that fosters professional development. Computer-based networking (mail groups), regular teleconferences, and online training enable VA professionals across the country to share information, research, and best practices.
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VA Technology in the News
VA Data Show Home Health Technology Improves Access to Care
Medical Journal Praises VA Electronic Health Record
VA Medical Imaging Reaches Record Level
Health Care Industry Could Learn from VA, Says CBO
BlackBerry: Saving Heart-Attack Victims with Handhelds
VA Takes the Lead in Paperless Care
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