Senators Urge New Oversight Measures for VA’s Oracle Contract Review
In a move to enhance accountability and ensure the safety of Veterans Affairs (VA) electronic health records (EHR) modernization, three senators have called for increased oversight in the annual renegotiation of the VA’s contract with Oracle Health. This request follows numerous system errors and deployment issues that have impacted veterans’ care.
Senators’ Concerns and Call for Action
As the VA prepares for the first of four annual contract renegotiations with Oracle Health, Senators Jon Tester (D-Montana), Patty Murray (D-Washington), and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) sent a letter to VA Deputy Secretary Tanya Bradsher. The letter emphasized the need for greater accountability due to recent errors in the EHR system, stating that VA staff are “not getting the system they need.”
Impact of EHR Software Errors
The senators’ concerns were amplified by a February EHR software release that included pharmacy-focused upgrades marred by code errors. These errors led to widespread transmission of incorrect unique medication identifiers from new EHR sites to legacy systems. This issue was highlighted by David Case, Deputy Inspector General at the VA’s Office of Inspector General, during a House Veterans Committee hearing.
Need for Additional Oversight Provisions
While acknowledging some performance improvements over the past year, the senators highlighted ongoing challenges that affect veteran care. They urged the VA to include more accountability and oversight measures in the contract to ensure Oracle Health meets its commitments. “The Department must take all steps possible to ensure VA is getting the services it purchased at a fair price and that Oracle Health is living up to its commitments,” the senators stated.
Concerns Over Oracle Health’s Performance
The senators pointed out that despite some progress, Oracle Health’s delivery of the “Block 10” software release was incomplete. They recommended using the new contract structure to add provisions that protect veterans and taxpayers. “We encourage you to use the opportunity the new contract structure provides to re-review terms and add additional accountability and oversight provisions,” they wrote to Bradsher.
Wider Legislative and Public Concerns
The Oracle Cerner system has faced significant scrutiny from congressional lawmakers, with some questioning its fundamental viability and others suggesting it should be scrapped. Despite these concerns, VA Secretary Denis McDonough announced that the rollouts of the Oracle Cerner EHR will resume in 2025. He emphasized that the VA is making incremental progress in addressing issues and optimizing the EHR system.
Financial and Operational Implications for Oracle
The challenges faced by Oracle Health have had broader implications. The $28 billion purchase of Cerner in 2022 resulted in lost clients and declining sales, leading to significant job cuts. However, Oracle remains committed to its technology and the healthcare needs of veterans. Mike Sicilia, Executive Vice President of Oracle Global Industries, reiterated this commitment in an email, expressing confidence in Oracle’s technology.
Recent Developments in EHR Deployment
Despite setbacks, Oracle announced the final go-live of the Department of Defense’s EHR, MHS GENESIS, at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in Chicago. This milestone signifies that Oracle’s EHR is now operational at all DoD garrison facilities globally.
Senators’ Request for Accountability Summary
In their letter, the senators requested a summary of the new enforcement provisions and terms once the May 2024 contract negotiations conclude. They also asked for a summary of how the May 2023 agreement has led to better outcomes for the VA and its stakeholders.
FAQs
What prompted the senators to call for more oversight in the VA’s Oracle contract?
Recent errors in the VA’s electronic health records system and the impact on veteran care led the senators to demand increased accountability and oversight.
What were the specific issues with the EHR software release in February?
The February release included pharmacy-focused upgrades with code errors, causing incorrect unique medication identifiers to be transmitted across EHR sites.
What improvements have been noted despite the ongoing issues?
While there have been some performance improvements over the past year, significant challenges remain that affect veteran care.
What are the financial implications of Oracle’s challenges with the VA contract?
The $28 billion purchase of Cerner led to lost clients, declining sales, and significant job cuts for Oracle.
When are the Oracle Cerner EHR rollouts expected to resume?
VA Secretary Denis McDonough announced that the rollouts are planned to resume in 2025.
Ben,
In dealing with VA professionally as a stakeholder, I would ask for direct accountability on the billions spent in internet service providers, IT and web design. These contracts (not only Oracle) are superfunded, and the work is not up to par in most and has to be tweaked for more money, oversight and retraining of individuals to engage with the software.!!!!!!