David Shulkin, M.D., former Secretary of Veterans Affairs, recently shared his insights on the future of healthcare policy in light of the upcoming Nov. 5 presidential election. Drawing upon his extensive experience in the VA, having served under both the Obama and Trump administrations, Shulkin reflected on his pivotal decisions and the ongoing challenges in modernizing the Veterans Affairs’ electronic health records (EHR) system. Particularly noteworthy was his decision to award a $10 billion, no-bid contract to Cerner, aimed at replacing the VA’s outdated EHR system. This move marked a significant step in upgrading the VA’s medical data infrastructure, though it came with its own set of complexities and hurdles.
Shulkin elaborated on the intricacies involved in transitioning to the new system. He touched upon his reasons for extending the EHR modernization contract with Oracle Health for 11 months, a move designed to address initial rollout issues and ensure seamless execution. Furthermore, the indefinite pause on the $16 billion Oracle Cerner EHR deployments speaks volumes about the operational challenges that have since emerged. According to Shulkin, the decision to halt the deployment stemmed from early implementation hiccups that underscored the need for a more phased and strategic approach. These setbacks highlight the importance of continuous improvement and adaptive strategies in large-scale healthcare system modernization efforts.
Future Directions in U.S. Healthcare Policy
David Shulkin, M.D., the former Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shared his thoughts on healthcare policy ahead of the Nov. 5 presidential election. Having served under both the Obama and Trump administrations, Shulkin provided valuable insights from his extensive experience. One of his significant actions was awarding a $10 billion, no-bid contract to Cerner to replace the outdated electronic health records (EHR) system at the VA. This upgrade aimed to improve the VA’s medical data infrastructure but introduced a set of challenges.
Shulkin discussed the complexities of transitioning to the new EHR system. He explained why he extended the modernization contract with Oracle Health for 11 more months, a decision meant to address initial issues and ensure a smoother execution. Additionally, he touched on the indefinite pause on the $16 billion Oracle Cerner EHR deployments. This pause was necessary due to early implementation problems, highlighting the need for a phased and strategic approach. These setbacks underscore the importance of adaptive strategies and continuous improvement in large-scale healthcare system modernization.