Noteboom The Law Firm

VA Encouraged to Switch to Open Source System

May 13, 2010 - The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) current health record system, the VA Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA), is outdated. The system was implemented in the 1980's and operates under the outmoded program language known as MUMPS, which makes the system hard to maintain.

The VA is well aware of the need to replace the VistA system but has proven impossible due to the VA itself ceasing evaluation of their own IT programs. Replacing VistA with an open source system, however, would only benefit the VA by:

• Allowing quicker innovation
• Reducing costs  

The VA's Chief Information Officer requested a report be done evaluating the VA's health record system. The report included recommendations that the VA switch over, in incremental steps, to an open source environment. During the transition both the VistA system and the open source environment would operate in parallels.

While a new open source environment would end up saving the VA money and time, to code it in the first place would cost money. Developing contracts with research and development centers which are federally funded would be necessary in order to design the system and ultimately build the prototype. Developing the system would require the VA be very hands on and involved.

There has already been an obligation placed on the VA to progress in fixing their system. Nationwide adoption of digital health records has a due date of 2014 according to President Obama. Should the VA transition to an open source environment, there is an increased possibility their system would be adopted in other places - either nationally to help meet the due date - or even internationally.