The departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs' joint health data exchange program is just in the second phase of development, but officials say it has already provided valuable insight into interoperability, Federal Computer Week reports.
President Obama created the Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record Health Communities Program, or VLER, in April 2009. The program aims to provide military service members with a seamless, lifetime electronic health record.
Phase 1 and 2
The first phase of the project, which was completed in the first quarter of 2010, compiled health record information from VA, DOD and Kaiser Permanente for selected service members.
The second phase will increase the amount of data available in the records and expand the project to three new communities.
In addition, the departments will collaborate on the development, review and approval of requirements, designs and test plans for VLER implementation, according to Debra Filippi, director of the Interagency Program Office.
VLER's second phase is expected to be completed in July.
Recommendations
Filippi and VA and DOD officials say VLER should adhere to the architecture of the Nationwide Health Information Network.
Linda Fischetti, CIO at the Veterans Health Administration, said a governing body should oversee the multi-agency, multi-level execution of VLER (Corrin, Federal Computer Week, 3/24).