[{"innerBlocks":[],"name":"core\/freeform","postId":972,"blockType":{"name":"core\/freeform","keywords":[],"attributes":{"content":{"type":"string","source":"raw"},"lock":{"type":"object"}},"providesContext":[],"usesContext":[],"selectors":[],"supports":{"className":false,"customClassName":false,"reusable":false},"styles":[],"variations":[],"apiVersion":3,"title":"Classic","description":"Use the classic WordPress editor.","category":"text"},"originalContent":"The Indian Health Service intends to replace its legacy electronic health record system with a modern EHR that will take seven to 10 years to implement and will cost American taxpayers billions of dollars.

That\u2019s the estimate that Rear Adm. Michael Weahkee, IHS principal deputy director, provided on Wednesday to a Senate appropriations subcommittee.

\u201cOur current aging system exists as more than 400 separate instances that are maintained at individual locations throughout the country,\u201d testified Weahkee. \u201cReplacing this antiquated system with a single, modern national system would enable IHS to enhance medical quality, maximize the time that our doctors, our nurses and other healthcare professionals have to provide direct patient care, and increase the security of our patients\u2019 medical records.\u201d

IHS, an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services, currently uses the Resource and Patient Management System (RPMS)\u2014which was developed in close partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs\u2014to manage its clinical, financial and administrative information.

However, in his testimony, Weahkee said that RPMS is \u201chobbling our efforts to share medical information efficiently, improve monitoring of medical quality and recover critical third-party financial resources.\u201d

President Trump\u2019s Fiscal Year 2020 budget request for IHS includes an initial $25 million EHR investment to begin transitioning to a replacement for RPMS. According to Weahkee, the funding is critical to allow the agency to conduct planning for the seven- to 10-year transition period and to \u201caddress key infrastructure gaps necessary to implement a modern EHR.\u201d

Also See<\/b>: President\u2019s budget has $25M to fund new Indian Health Service EHR<\/a>

In March, Weahkee told another Senate committee that IHS is completing a year-long Health IT Modernization Research Project\u2014in collaboration with the HHS Office of the Chief Technology Officer\u2014to help inform the agency regarding potential options to either replace or modernize its existing HIT infrastructure.

However, Weahkee\u2019s testimony on Wednesday confirmed that IHS intends to outright replace RPMS with a new EHR. \u201cI believe this transition represents an opportunity to meaningfully impact the care received by our patients,\u201d he said.

Weahkee testified that IHS is looking to leverage the lessons learned from the Department of Defense and VA efforts to establish a single, common Cerner EHR system between those two agencies. For its part, the VA\u2019s EHR modernization is currently estimated to cost $16.1 billion over 10 years.

\u201cIt is a significant undertaking that we have ahead of us and I do believe that the B word\u2014the billion word\u2014is well in range,\u201d observed Weahkee. \u201cWe are learning from the VA\u2019s acquisition how much we should anticipate.\u201d

While he said IHS is hoping to save as much money as possible for American taxpayers, Weahkee acknowledged that \u201cwith the number of systems that we\u2019ll be replacing, this will be a sizeable request.\u201d

A big focus of the EHR acquisition will be on interoperability with VA, DoD and other healthcare systems, according to Weahkee.

Rear Adm. Michael Toedt, MD, chief medical officer at IHS, added that the agency has been in communication with VA and DoD about \u201cbest-of-breed\u201d governance models.

\u201cWe want to make sure that we\u2019ve got the voice of our clinicians so we can decrease provider burden,\u201d testified Toedt. \u201cWe also want to make sure that we improve the revenue cycle management.\u201d

In addition, he said American Indians and Alaska natives will benefit from a modern EHR system that will include electronic scheduling and access to personal health records.","saveContent":"The Indian Health Service intends to replace its legacy electronic health record system with a modern EHR that will take seven to 10 years to implement and will cost American taxpayers billions of dollars.

That\u2019s the estimate that Rear Adm. Michael Weahkee, IHS principal deputy director, provided on Wednesday to a Senate appropriations subcommittee.

\u201cOur current aging system exists as more than 400 separate instances that are maintained at individual locations throughout the country,\u201d testified Weahkee. \u201cReplacing this antiquated system with a single, modern national system would enable IHS to enhance medical quality, maximize the time that our doctors, our nurses and other healthcare professionals have to provide direct patient care, and increase the security of our patients\u2019 medical records.\u201d

IHS, an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services, currently uses the Resource and Patient Management System (RPMS)\u2014which was developed in close partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs\u2014to manage its clinical, financial and administrative information.

However, in his testimony, Weahkee said that RPMS is \u201chobbling our efforts to share medical information efficiently, improve monitoring of medical quality and recover critical third-party financial resources.\u201d

President Trump\u2019s Fiscal Year 2020 budget request for IHS includes an initial $25 million EHR investment to begin transitioning to a replacement for RPMS. According to Weahkee, the funding is critical to allow the agency to conduct planning for the seven- to 10-year transition period and to \u201caddress key infrastructure gaps necessary to implement a modern EHR.\u201d

Also See<\/b>: President\u2019s budget has $25M to fund new Indian Health Service EHR<\/a>

In March, Weahkee told another Senate committee that IHS is completing a year-long Health IT Modernization Research Project\u2014in collaboration with the HHS Office of the Chief Technology Officer\u2014to help inform the agency regarding potential options to either replace or modernize its existing HIT infrastructure.

However, Weahkee\u2019s testimony on Wednesday confirmed that IHS intends to outright replace RPMS with a new EHR. \u201cI believe this transition represents an opportunity to meaningfully impact the care received by our patients,\u201d he said.

Weahkee testified that IHS is looking to leverage the lessons learned from the Department of Defense and VA efforts to establish a single, common Cerner EHR system between those two agencies. For its part, the VA\u2019s EHR modernization is currently estimated to cost $16.1 billion over 10 years.

\u201cIt is a significant undertaking that we have ahead of us and I do believe that the B word\u2014the billion word\u2014is well in range,\u201d observed Weahkee. \u201cWe are learning from the VA\u2019s acquisition how much we should anticipate.\u201d

While he said IHS is hoping to save as much money as possible for American taxpayers, Weahkee acknowledged that \u201cwith the number of systems that we\u2019ll be replacing, this will be a sizeable request.\u201d

A big focus of the EHR acquisition will be on interoperability with VA, DoD and other healthcare systems, according to Weahkee.

Rear Adm. Michael Toedt, MD, chief medical officer at IHS, added that the agency has been in communication with VA and DoD about \u201cbest-of-breed\u201d governance models.

\u201cWe want to make sure that we\u2019ve got the voice of our clinicians so we can decrease provider burden,\u201d testified Toedt. \u201cWe also want to make sure that we improve the revenue cycle management.\u201d

In addition, he said American Indians and Alaska natives will benefit from a modern EHR system that will include electronic scheduling and access to personal health records.","order":0,"get_parent":{},"attributes":[],"attributesType":{"content":{"type":"string","source":"raw"},"lock":{"type":"object"}},"dynamicContent":""}]

New Indian Health Service EHR to cost billions of dollars

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