iEHR Would Get A Shorter Leash, Under House NDAA Amendment

An amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2014 (H.R. 1960), which passed June 14, would impose reporting requirements on the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments' integrated electronic health record project, as well as stand up an advisory panel to provide additional oversight.

Amendment 164 (.pdf), sponsored by Reps. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) and Adam Smith (D-Wash.), was agreed to by voice vote on June 13. The amendment was developed in collaboration by the House Armed Services, Veterans Affairs and Appropriations Committees, said Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) during a July 10 hearing.

If the bill is enacted into law, the secretaries would be required by Jan. 31, 2014 to give appropriate congressional committees a plan on the iEHR. This plan would include program objectives, organization, responsibilities of the departments, technical system requirements, milestones (including a schedule for industry competitions), system standards the program will use, metrics to assess the program's effectiveness, and funding levels needed for fiscal years 2014 to 2017 in order to execute the plan.