DOD Considering Open Source EHR System

PwC proposes bid to the Department of Defense that would transform the department’s IT management to heighten quality and efficiency.

Last month, PwC announced it intended to offer a bid for the Department of Defense (DOD) Healthcare Management Systems Modernization (DHMSM) EHR contract. The DOD is searching for a contractor to replace the existing Military Health System (MHS) which currently has more than 9.7 million active duty, retired, and dependent beneficiaries./p>  According to FCW, last week PwC pitched a bid including the integration of open-source electronic health records (EHRs). PwC is joined by General Dynamics IT, as well as by DDS Inc. and Medsphere , both of which offer products based on Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA).

In the PwC press release, Scott McIntyre, U.S. Public Sector leader, PwC, said, “Providing high quality healthcare to U.S. military families and veterans relies on secure access to patient records from any location or device. An interoperable healthcare IT management system that leverages existing investments not only creates efficiency and significant cost savings, it promotes better health outcomes for active duty military, veterans, and their families.”

Open Health News, reports, according to PWC's Dan Garrett, head of Health IT practice, PwC, the VistA solution is a logical short-term solution because of existing interoperability between DOD and VA, and provides a sensible long term commitment because the open architecture of VistA provides the opportunity for the DOD to modernize at its own pace.  According to FCW, Garrett believes that the open-source solution is the right choice for DOD...