Military Health System CIO talks EHR procurement

David Bowen’s title might be CIO of the Military Health System but these days he calls himself an anthropologist. The anthropology aspect of his job spans a wide-ranging consolidation across Defense Department entities, including whittling 26 e-learning systems down into one, an elimination of redundancy Bowen said is “radical” for MHS, and generally convincing high-ranking officials to give up the stalwart systems they’re comfortable using.

Perhaps no project will require that skill more than the DoD’s undergoing commercial EHR procurement. MHS, in fact, intends to hold the third and final industry day next week, Bowen said at the Government Health IT Conference and Exhibition, adding there will be “more action later this year.”

Bowen also shared the department’s goals for the new EHR system: implement a state-of-the-art market system rather than a customized program; develop a best-value approach; emphasize alignment with national standards to prevent obsolescence; increase record portability and accessibility via phone, tablet, laptop; and increase interoperability with the Department of Veterans Affairs EHR...