architecture news from FierceHealthIT

Hoping to develop a stronger presence in the healthcare arena, Microsoft has renamed its enterprise healthcare technology products--and has set plans to integrate and upgrade them over the next year Read more...

The U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs (VA) has set plans to realign its IT organization over the next two years. The VA has awarded a $16 million contract to IBM to accomplish the job, which will encompass the Veteran's Health Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration and National Cemetery Administration. The VA already has a widely-praised health IT infrastructure in place, including the …

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A business columnist in the Dallas Morning News has joined the parade trumpeting the technology innovation--and improved patient care and cost savings--generated by the Veterans Health Information Systems & Technology Architecture (VistA), to maintain electronic health records (EHRs) for more than five million patients seen at the VA's 1,400 health care facilities.

"Your government and your tax dollars brought you the Internet and changed the world," notes columnist …

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Congress is about to ask the Defense Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs to use one electronic health records (EHRs) system. DOD and the VA treat a similar pool of patients, so a common military EHR would be useful and logical, industry and healthcare experts say. The House and Senate adopted similar language in appropriations bills in which they urge the VA and DOD to use a common EHR system. Differences in the bills must be resolved in conference later this year.

In …

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