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VA in Possession of Aviva EHR Prototype to Modernize Medical Record System

March 16, 2010 - Aviva is a web-based electronic health record system developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The prototype program is designed to replace the VA's outdated Veterans Health Information System Architecture (VistA) and modernize the current VA medical record system.

The Aviva prototype grants access to both the VA and Defense Department data; both searches not available in the VistA system. Further, the Aviva system has been credited as having a "scalable and reusable foundation" according to the Chief Technology officer for the VA.

The Aviva system was designed to be completely state of the art and functional. The system boasts many benefits, including:

• It is modular;
• It allows for health data exchange over the HHS Nationwide Health Information Network;
• It is efficient;
• Scalable;
• Web-based; and contains
• Modern programming language.

 Aviva is intended to be easily operated by most users, to allow for simple searches of the veterans on file, and to mesh records from many different sources. This is in contrast to the current VistA system, which has caused the VA many problems over the years. The VistA system's problems have included:

• Requiring upgrades over tens of thousands of computers;
• Not being able to respond to regulatory changes as often or quickly as necessary;
• Finding staff able to use the program's outmoded programming language; and
• Lack of common standards.

 The Aviva system is still in the prototype stage. Once it goes fully operational, it will make working within the VA's health care system a much more streamlined experience.