What This Bill Does
This bill stops the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from starting new activities related to a new electronic health record system at Veterans Health Administration facilities until specific improvements happen and facilities are ready. The bill requires the Secretary to prove the system is working reliably and that each facility can handle the new system without harming patient care before expanding to new locations.
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Who It Affects
- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs
- Veterans Health Administration facilities
- Veterans Integrated Services Networks
- Facility directors, chiefs of staff, and network directors at VA facilities
- Veterans using VA healthcare services
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Key Provisions
- The Secretary cannot start the electronic health record program at new facilities until the system achieves 99.9 percent monthly uptime for four months in a row at existing facilities. (Sec. 2(a)(2)(A))
- The Secretary cannot start the program at new facilities until all system improvements required by existing contracts are completed. (Sec. 2(a)(2)(B))
- Facility directors, chiefs of staff, and network directors must certify in writing that facility staff and buildings are prepared for the new system and that it will not harm patient safety, wait times, or healthcare quality. (Sec. 2(b))
- The Secretary must send written certifications to Congress before expanding the program to new facilities. (Sec. 2(a)(1), Sec. 2(b))
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What Changes
If this bill becomes law, the Veterans Affairs Department cannot roll out the electronic health record system to new facilities until the system works reliably at current locations and each facility confirms it is ready to use the system safely.
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Important Definitions
- **Electronic health record system**: The new computer system being set up through the Electronic Health Record Modernization Program. (Sec. 2(c)(1))
- **Program activity**: Actions taken before the system activates, including site assessments (evaluations of a location), testing, training, and workshops. (Sec. 2(c)(2))
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Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 592
To prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from carrying out certain
activities under the Electronic Health Record Modernization Program
until certification of system improvements and facility readiness.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 27, 2023
Mr. BOST (for himself, Mr. ROSENDALE, Mrs. RODGERS of Washington, Mr.
CAREY, Mr. BALDERSON, Mr. NEWHOUSE, Mr. SIMPSON, Mr. BENTZ,
and Mr. BANKS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from carrying
out certain activities under the Electronic Health Record
Modernization Program until certification of system im-
provements and facility readiness.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Department of Vet-
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erans Affairs Electronic Health Record Modernization Im-
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provement Act’’.
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•HR 592 IH
SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN ACTIVITIES UNDER
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ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD MODERNIZA-
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TION PROGRAM UNTIL CERTIFICATION OF
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SYSTEM
IMPROVEMENTS
AND
FACILITY
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READINESS.
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(a) CERTIFICATION OF IMPROVEMENT.—
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(1) PROHIBITION.—The Secretary of Veterans
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Affairs may not commence a program activity at a
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facility of the Veterans Health Administration where
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such activity is not being carried out as of the date
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of the enactment of this Act until the date on which
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the Secretary of Veterans Affairs submits to the
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Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of
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Representatives and the Senate written certification
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that the electronic health record system has met
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each of the improvement objectives described in
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paragraph (2) at each facility where such system is
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being carried out as of the date of the enactment of
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this Act.
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(2) IMPROVEMENT OBJECTIVES.—The improve-
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ment objectives described in this paragraph are the
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following:
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(A) A monthly uptime for the electronic
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health record system of 99.9 percent for four
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sequential months.
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•HR 592 IH
(B) The completion of all improvements or
1
modifications of the electronic health record
2
system required to be completed pursuant to a
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contract, task order, modification, or other
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similar instrument, entered into before the date
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of the enactment of this Act.
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(b) CERTIFICATION OF READINESS.—The Secretary
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may not implement the electronic health record system at
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a facility of the Veterans Health Administration where
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such system has not been implemented as of the date of
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the enactment of this Act until the date on which the di-
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rector of such facility, the chief of staff of such facility,
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and the director of the Veterans Integrated Services Net-
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work in which such facility is located each submit to the
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Secretary, and the Secretary transmits to the Committees
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on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and
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the Senate, written certification that—
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(1) the build and configuration of the electronic
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health record system, as proposed to be carried out
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at such facility, are accurate and complete;
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(2) the staff and infrastructure of such facility
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are adequately prepared to receive such system; and
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(3) the implementation of such system will not
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have significant, sustained adverse effects on patient
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•HR 592 IH
safety, patient wait-times for medical care, or health
1
care quality at such facility.
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(c) DEFINITIONS.—In the section:
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(1) The term ‘‘electronic health record system’’
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means the electronic health record system imple-
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mented pursuant to the Electronic Health Record
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Modernization Program.
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(2) The term ‘‘program activity’’ means an ac-
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tivity under the Electronic Health Record Mod-
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ernization Program, including any site assessment,
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current state assessment, local or national workshop,
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training, testing, or any other activity conducted be-
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fore the activation of the electronic health record
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system.
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Æ
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