Hagel Orders Pentagon to Buy New Software for Heath Records

May 23, 2013

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has ordered the Pentagon to buy a new healthcare management system to better communicate with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), according to an article in The Washington Post.

For years, the Pentagon and the VA have been trying to build a single, unified system, but this decision will create two systems that can talk to each other. Previously, both departments ran separate systems that could not communicate.

From the article:

The Defense Department said it is seeking new software via competitive bid from the private sector that will improve continuity of care as military members transition into civilian life.

“Our service members and veterans, and their families, expect and deserve a seamless system to administer the benefits they have earned,” Hagel said in a statement.

The VA has amassed a huge backlog of disability claims from veterans, with some having to wait more than a year for their paperwork to be processed. Part of the reason for this delay was the incompatibility of the records systems at the VA and the Pentagon and the extended period of time it took the Defense Department to transfer records to the VA.

Read more about the new system in The Washington Post.

Topics: Public Health and Science

Related Content: Veterans Affairs

Authors: Andre Francisco

Submitted by Lefthand Nickie at: May 28, 2013

Time to court martial for negligence all the flag officers and O-6s that had fixing this as part of this mission. Time to investigate the value of the work done by contractors--and if there is much of a value gap, look into False Claims Act suits. Time to end the careers of career SESs who were some of the bagholders for this problem--if they did nothing or what they did was a failure. As usual, "Mistakes were made." But, no one is responsible.

Submitted by Sirpantsalot at: May 25, 2013

This shows how pathetic the V.A.and the pentagon have been all these years in helping service members and us veterans of which I am having served in the United States Army & Navy. I have been waiting over ten years now for a rate increase that I filed on February 10th,2003,and I am still waiting for these BOZOS to give me and answer. And it takes Chuck Hagel,to tell them to come in to the tech age to put both the Pentagon and V.A. on the same page,Chuck Hagel,of who I like and respect because he is a Vietnam Veteran.So what in the heck is that V.A,Secretary doing that he did not think of this and he is a Major General of the Vietnam War of who I have written for him help in case. Alot of help he has been I might as well be writing to myself these clowns we have In Washington,From the President to all in between there worthless they are just there collecting a huge paycheck and that is it.

Submitted by Gudrun at: May 25, 2013

For almost 20 years, and using some 23 billion dollars, legions of DoD emps, plus all the DoD controllers, and the biggest names in IT consulting, like BA, have tried and failed to make this system work. No one gets punished, no official or contractor is held accountable, and the department and its overseers are held impotent when it comes to managing the Pentagon budget and accounts. This is a national disgrace, welcomed by the civil service, political appointees, and he contractors.

Submitted by Fredzovah at: May 23, 2013

I dont think they are doing it to help, I think they are doing to coverup all help they should have already done.

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