For years, skepticism has surrounded VA’s deployment of the Federal Electronic Health Record (EHR). The deployments started during President Trump’s first term and, since then, have stopped, restarted, paused, reset, restarted again and now—with the right leadership in place—have accelerated. Doubters on Capitol Hill, in the press, from the Government Accountability Office and from the Office of the Inspector General, have questioned all aspects of the project—from its scope, budget and timeline to its technology, leadership and partners.
It is hardly surprising that many want to know what’s different this time (#WDTT).
One notable difference from previous deployments is the intentional and committed leadership across the program. From his first days at VA, Secretary Collins has championed the program and emphasized that we can and will implement the Federal EHR. He directed VA leaders to develop a comprehensive strategic plan to accelerate EHR deployments across the remaining VA medical centers, as soon as 2031. He told leaders to adopt a standard, baseline EHR to limit local customizations and facilitate accountability. And he replaced the cumbersome, bureaucratic, multi-council decision-making model with a single governance council model that’s already streamlining decisions in preparation for EHR deployments.
Secretary Collins also established accountability for the program and assigned it to me. I therefore hold multiple meetings daily with senior VA leaders responsible for the program, as well as leaders from Oracle Health and other vendor partners, to address issues and make decisions that drive action. I have also added senior advisors to strengthen support in key areas of the transformation, including change and program management, operations, informatics, communication, field adoption, software development and, most recently, benefits realization.
Everyone can be certain this time that our leaders are focused, engaged, and owning it
Another difference this time is the level of engagement with local leadership at individual sites. In the last year, I visited 12 of the 13 deployment sites with plans to visit the final site next month. I have also visited sites in Michigan and Ohio twice. These are not “photo ops.”
When I visit these sites, I engage in candid discussions and intense dialogue to elicit direct feedback that results in actionable change. For example, I speak with the executive leadership teams responsible for running the hospitals and overseeing deployment and change management. I engage consultants to review the schedule, assess our progress and identify areas for improvement. I also meet with super users to ensure they receive adequate training and hands-on learning opportunities. Finally, I consult with the chief of staff to confirm that I have not overlooked any important details. In total, I have talked to more than 400 individuals, listened to their insights and considered their suggestions.
This time, everyone is dialed in, and it is influencing how we drive our deployments
Strong leadership is key to any successful project, as is efficient, effective technology. The Federal EHR is currently live at six VA sites, serving more than 13,000 users who have provided health care to over 188,000 Veterans.
The system is operated and maintained by Oracle Health, and we have strict service-level agreements for its performance—benchmarks that we closely monitor and enforce. Oracle Health has improved system performance, reliability and usability, including operating at 100% outage-free for 27 of the last 31 months (June 2023 – December 2025), with 100% attainment of ticket management targets for 30 consecutive months (July 2023 – December 2025), and 100% attainment of Incident-Free Time for nearly two years straight (March 2024 – December 2025). The Federal EHR is now reliably available to end users, with no system-wide outages. We have reduced disruptions, prevented lost productivity and ensured critical workflows continue without delay.
The bottom line is that, this time, the Federal EHR is working, stable and reliable
Secretary Collins and I are determined to deliver on President Trump’s promise to deploy a single, accessible electronic health record that captures Veterans’ medical history from the moment they swear their initial oath to the very last time they receive care. Veterans will spend less time undergoing repeat tests, imaging and exams because results and reports from the Department of War (DOW) and community health care providers will already be in the system. This increased record visibility will also increase patient safety. And since the Federal EHR will be fully integrated between the DOW and VA health care systems, its deployment will feel seamless to Veterans. The only thing they will notice is that their doctors and nurses have more time for meaningful conversations with them.
This long-awaited, long-doubted health care transformation is finally happening (#EHRMHappens)
Join us and have confidence in the 13 sites going live in 2026. Together, we will usher in a new era of VA care, safeguarding the health of our nation’s Veterans for years to come.
For more information and resources, visit the EHRM website.
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Secretary Collins is and has been an asset to the THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION since his appointment by President Trump.
You dont see VA putting these two together. A toxic exposure and
a GCMS device. That alone is proof conclusive VA is not sincere about
helping find out what toxic compounds are making vets sick or killing
them. Not even in most autopsies.
This is not a new device. Its a combination Gas Chromatograph / Mass
Spectrometer. 40 plus years in this arrangement. To break down a
small sample and burn it. Suck the gas, and read the results of how
fast it goes through a column of silica gel. Prints a output on a sheet
of material, and plots how much of each compound. Mostly water
soluble compounds and toxins in human anatomy.
They know the bulk of toxins hide somewhere in your body. The most
obvious is body fat. Closest to where it comes in contact. The adipose
abdomen right next to the intestines. Then it just stores more as it
comes in. Accumulation.
The process is actually quite simple. Suck a little fat 5cm in with needle,
take a tiny bit and into syringe. Inject, burn to smoke, read results. Does
not take weeks, less than hour on a bad day. Minutes with a good tech.
VA and civilian medicine just dont do this combination. Ive pushed very
hard and labs want to narrow results on purpose. Shutting down filters
will give you a huge result. But, “dirty dozen” has been the term recently
and its only the beginning.
This is why Im pushing VA for a “Toxic Exposure Pathology Center” to take
tissue samples and run them in a high end GCMS. It becomes a cross over
medicine diagnostic bridging living exams with forensic exams. To find
compounds messing with metabolism or worse.
Millions in the balance, and soon nation wide as polluted a water and food
adopt similar testing measures. Hinted at by 2018. As these are the standard
for forensic toxicology, criminal toxicology. Only, while your alive.
This isnt if, only when. Others will be on board or champion in other ways.
Its not made up or exaggerated. Its the logical conclusion when people stop
arguing over semantics. What made you sick? Toxins? Prove it.
Its proven science, why is this so hard right now? Who benefits from this
being delayed? Why do they deny it? To just let people die from toxins?
Its time for a clinic that lets you have a GCMS printout of your total
toxic burden.
You may have heard in the news that CNN reported 100% of current produce
in America is hot for Dirty Dozen compounds. Water is contaminated and
everything Ive been pursuing research wise is water soluble lipid mobilization
of harmful compounds that interfere with Lipase enzyme. Im really close now
on the lysosome research and compounds hindering enzyme function.
If anything, VA should acknowledge that this is the future in its own ranks
because it now effects all of America. Average utility water has upwards of
650 ppm contaminates openly. This is passed on to the food supply. We cant
just pretend this is not a issue. Its about to become the biggest one. The
very reason for the book Silent Spring, 1962 hearings with Racheal Carlson,
and the birth of EPA. Over the same things “AGAIN” in 2026.
Well, Ive been trying now since September 2025 to get a adipose fatty tissue
biopsy and have full chemical break down of it like in a autopsy. I use this
terminology because there is no standard for this. Everyone I contacted in
every field wants no part of this. Scott and White declined this week because
they dont have a set procedure with this. The wound care clinic declined.
Ive gone to state of Texas medical examiners board who wont help. Contacted
criminal investigation units, etc. Every kind of Toxic exposure program online
that rejected me. Because they rely on blood for the living, fatty tissue for
the dead. There is no bridge on this.
What I have been told is I will have to find a university research department
that might look into this. Much like the University of Kentucky that did the
very thorough 2018 “Adipose Tissue as a Site of Toxin Accumulation” with
438 references. The hint was there in conjunction with EPA and UN that
the world has to look into this just on polluted water much less other
environmental factors.
For Gulf war veterans, the real possibility of long term Dioxins and Furans
from burn pits. However, there are so many possible toxins that are water
soluble the term “Dirty Dozen” isnt accurate. So Im looking at total burden
in the lipids and possible unique factors not in the general population. The
last person I talked with agreed there could be thousands in the sample
and hard to pin down. I learned of the techniques 40 plus years ago in
the forensic arena and have a house full of books like “process chromatography”
that helped me build my own equipment. The mass spec and the gas
chromatograph kept turning up wood cellulose and other issues. So I
cant get level 4 sterility here for my testing. My equipment isnt precise
enough.
What Im getting at is VA and the CDC rely on blood labs to show forms
of toxic exposures. its admitted that its not able to find what would be
in a adipose tissue sample. The end repository of inhaled, consumed,
or skin contact exposures over time. Hydrocarbon being a big part.
Push comes to shove, biopsies are reserved for cancers. Average is
5mm. I need a 5cm deep adipose sample that is stored in -30 cryo so there
is no degradation of the sample. Only people able to do the correct
analysis are FBI criminal lab. They want no part of this. But, I do see
this as criminal investigation because I was betrayed. My trust violated
by a country that wants me to just live with this. 35 years of frustration
and poor quality of life. Right now Im 98% certain Im dealing with a from
of enzyme inhibitor in ppb that throws off normal lysosome activity.
This test is my last resort to find a answer that is in keep with the
science that got me to this point. Blood test are not enough.
If VA is investigating Toxic Exposures, it should realize by now that what
Im working on is the future of this in bulk for dozens of compounds.
VA should also concede its avoiding this one point to avoid accountability.
Because this is “invasive”.
OK, If Im wrong – rule it out. I dont mean by sloppy science either. As I
know this is about to blow up nationally with the water supply. The
Dirty Dozen is about to become a household word. Ive been saying this
for years now. Asked the WRIISC to do this in 2022.
Im volunteering for this. There is no standard. So Im pioneering a new
technique that will become the standard. This isnt the past, its the future
and it wont stop with just me. More are coming.
As to Sec of VA Doug Collins, I need your help. VA keeps going contract
when this should be in house. Its the very core of Toxic Exposures. VA
has denied me this since 2021 and I know Im close to a answer. Can we
please bring in the calvary? Im also convinced this plays a major factor
in ALS and auto immune disorders.
This is a good idea. It makes it where, us as VA patients. Can be seen as a person. Not just a patient. As a service connected disabled USN veteran. I am grateful this is going to be put in place. It seems to be an improvement effort to ensure, VA doctors know our medical history. Without wasting time on going into it with each new doctor. It is stressful to us as veterans. As well as us having ease when visiting other VA hospital’s for emergencies and medication. When away from our home enrolled VA. Thank you to the VA secretary, for sharing this update. As well as a thank you to president Trump. America is blessed. Shalom
VA has been a sham for so long… I have to say, what’s the catch this time?
They never talk to the staff that actually use this garbage. They talk to executives who fear being honest. It was built by VA employees making 60-80K a year. Not private companies who pay 200k plus. They cannot make simple fixes with what they already have. The new system will be the same crap.
Apparently you have not questioned the doctors or the veterans about the Federal EHR.
I have experienced numerous errors and have spent countless HOURS with the national help desk, technical support, and the Chalmers P. Wylie Outpatient Clinic only to be told we are aware of the issues but there is no money to fix the problems. I recently received numerous emails stating I have new labs and imaging in myhealthevet or va.gov only to find nothing posted. The system generated the email prior to posting to the proper charting taking upwards of 72 hours before it appears. A simple programming fix, yet no one takes any responsibility to fix the issue. Just yesterday I got a survey for labs or imaging with a date of service as March 13, 2026. I was not at the facility on March 13th nor did I have any labs or imaging on that that day! My doctor ordered multiple blood tests completed on March 5th. I received an email (upwards of 30 emails) for each individual test saying the results were ready, but once again nothing showed up in my chart for over 72 hours. The redundancy is ridiculous! The Veterans are not being served in a time fashion.
You might have spoken to the VA facility’s administration but not to those who actually depend on the system to serve the veteran and the Veterans themselves to find out how we feel about it.
I feel no one has the integrity to speak freely about the new Federal EHR for fear of losing their jobs. Everyone in this administration are just “YES men or women” to keep the Commander in Chief happy. No one wants to do the hard work or stand up and say “We need to fix the Federal EHR System in the current facilities before rolling out a broken system across the country.” The Veterans are the ones suffering!
Wasn’t it President Obama that initiated VLER Health (I managed one of thr VLER pilot sites for the VHA).
That was “cradle-to-grave” medical record management, in connection with the local medical community, even before changing out the EMR….
One would like to believe this story. Sadly, given the players, both the ones mentioned in the opening paragraph and the ones currently playing in Washington, don’t have any idea of the proper way to do a thing than makes sense or is worthwhile.
And I don’t care who is being given the credit for the initial action. His intent is purely for profit and pocket lining.
I sure hope it works because I fell to the cracks one too many times already.
Top Leadership involvement was absolutely needed for this to be successful. Trust and respect established from all areas of Leadership creates the basis for a successful program. This was not in the initial EHRM introduction- not to mention FERM was not established at that time as well. I would like to think of it as a trial and error time on the initial start up, but sadly it was a lot of game playing and a big waste of $$$$. Very happy to see the accountability is now established for the rollout and transparency on record keeping, and linked systems to show hours available for appointments.
Happy and hopeful for the success for the 2026 rollout.
It’s certainly working in the Boise area… All my records and appointments as well as community care events are available to me 24/7
Yeh, right? I just had a mental health appointment simply because of this deployment to the Battle creek Healthcare System, they stated the deployment for the reason.
As a former VA Employee I have been screaming about the horrible and political reason for choosing a product that the vendor lied about from the minute they put a bid in.
This deployment WILL kill patient’s either directly or indirectly!
CONGRESS AND THE EXECUTIVE BRANCHES SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEIR DECISION TO PICK THIS COBBLED TOGETHER PIECE OF SHIT PROGRAM AND IMPLEMENTATION WAS FORCED DOWN THE THROATS OF THE CAREGIVERS AND SUPPORT STAFF WITH NO REGARD TO PATIENT CARE!!!!!
VA is destined to become the international world leader of Medical research, medical personal data, mass medical cause and effect, It’s million man survey data bank will combine new high speed Algorithms, AI scope of matching and trending patterns to exponentially reduce research times. Medical redundancy will reduce manpower time for more useful work and relationship between patience and doctors. Good leadership at VA will persist a world recognized reputation of TRUST AND HONOR.
The VA is a fantastic venue for testing questionable programs. If there’s a way to fuck things up;. The VA will find it!
The VA is a fantastic venue for testing questionable programs. If there’s a way to fuck things up;. The VA will find it! Even this comment section is screwed up!
It says not fully implemented until 2031 !
That’s not progress !
Did we say 2031? We meant 3031.
-VA