A few months after being urged to embrace open source for its electronic health record system by an industry group, the Veterans Affairs Department says it's investigating the possibility.  VA Chief Information Officer Roger Baker reportedly called the industry's group earlier recommendations "good advice" during a recent press call, adding that they are "being incorporated into our thought processes." The recommendations came from the Fairfax, Va.-based Industry Advisory Council.

The Veterans Affairs Department will likely not request additional information technology funding for fiscal 2012, its chief information officer told a Senate panel Oct. 6.  The  VA is the only cabinet department in which the CIO has authority over the entire department's IT spend--approximately $3.3 billion in fiscal 2010, which ended on Sept. 30. The department requested a similar amount for fiscal 2011, but Congress has yet to approve any federal agency spending bill and is keeping the government funds only via a continuing resolution.

The House is soliciting bids on an open-source content management platform that would give operators of its 520 websites more flexibility.

Drupal is now the "preferred web hosting environment for the House," according to the vendor source solicitation document released by the Office of the House Chief Administrative Officer. The incoming House freshman's sites are all hosted on the Drupal platform, but other members have the option of making the switch.

The theme of this year’s GOSCON, from my perspective, was that governments remain eager to embrace open source software, and are no doubt already doing so in many cases, but there is still a great demand for more commercial backing of more open source. Even though we continue to see more official adoption and procurement of open source among public organizations, it seems clear after GOSCON there is a need for more awareness, but also for more commercial support of open source.

Registration for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs, administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, begins January 3, 2011. Read More »

The Health IT Policy Committee is seeking comments on potential stage 2 objectives from the public on a draft document of preliminary recommendations it has developed. Read More »

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced up to $10 million in funding for a Health Center Planning Grant (HCPG) opportunity for organizations across the country that would like to become a Community Health Center.  The HCPG opportunity is intended to support organizations in the future development of a health center and will support approximately 125 HCPGs in FY 2011.  

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