The VA extends its EHR contract with Oracle Center for another 11 months.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced on Thursday that it has granted an 11-month extension to Oracle Cerner for its contract to modernize the agency’s electronic health record (EHR) system. This extension, which marks the completion of the second option period, follows a month of negotiations focusing on enhancing system performance, predictability, and deployment.

VA Deputy Secretary Tanya Bradsher emphasized that this extension demonstrates the VA’s commitment to prioritizing the best interests of veterans, VA providers, and taxpayers while maximizing resources in a fiscally constrained environment. Bradsher stated that continuing with the second option period allows the VA and Oracle Health to advance the reset and future deployment goals, maintaining accountability for resolving deployment challenges and ensuring productive progress.

The VA highlighted that the contract extension aligns with the agency’s efforts to resume site deployments and will be continuously evaluated for future option periods. Despite this progress, the VA has encountered several issues with Oracle Cerner, including a scheduling error linked to a veteran’s death, unresolved patient safety concerns with pharmacy technology, and record disappearances affecting veteran treatment.

In other news, the VA continues to address these challenges as part of its ongoing commitment to improving its EHR system and overall healthcare services for veterans.

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