From “Impossible” to “Done”!
VA’s “VistA” EHR to be Migrated to the Cloud by July 2024
In an extremely significant and groundbreaking accomplishment, the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Electronic Health Record system called “VistA” will have been completely migrated to the cloud by July 2024.
VA’s FITARA 16.0 Scorecard – Close, But No Cigar.
The Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) is an act that was passed in 2014 with the aim of improving IT acquisition processes across Federal agencies. Its goal is to ensure that agencies have effective oversight over their IT investments and are spending wisely on...
VA Trail marker for HIMSS23
Get ready for HIMSS23! Scheduled for April 17-21 in Chicago, the nation’s premier health IT conference and exhibition brings together thousands of healthcare and technology professionals from around the world.
VA’s Electronic Health Record Modernization Program Has Failed
Introduction. On Tuesday, March 7th 2023, the Technology Modernization Subcommittee of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs held a pivotal hearing entitled, "Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA)”. In the hearing, members of the subcommittee delved into the...
Visit the VA Trail for HIMSS23
HIMSS23 is right around the corner. Are you getting ready to attend? HIMSS23 is the premier health IT conference and exhibition that brings together 50,000 healthcare professionals from around the world. This year’s event will be held from April 17-21, 2023 in Chicago. The theme of this...
Guest Commentary
When Innovation is a Life and Death Matter: How Tech Plays a Key Role in Preventing Veteran Suicide
Change is not always easy. But not changing? Sometimes, it’s a matter of life and death. Joseph Vaughn, a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) executive, knows firsthand. A 2022 FedHealthIT Innovation Award winner, he’s recognized for his leadership in implementing a...
9 Tips to Crafting a Winning VA Proposal
Responding to a request for proposal, but unsure how to make it stand out? I have some helpful pointers before you put pen to paper. In my 36 years in the Department of Veterans Affairs, I often chose or participated in the process to pick a winning bidder in...
12 Dos and Don’ts When Interacting with the VHA’s Project Team
After 20+ years leading and participating in projects with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), I picked some best practices – and some not so great ones—in partnering with commercial businesses. These lessons learned from my perspective as a VA project lead,...
Brand Or Be Branded
Four more meaningful words in the realm of strategic communications may not ever be written. Brand Or Be Branded - these four words address several aspects of effective communications, especially the significance of defining a brand and then communicating it...
HIMSS Orchestrates A Happy Refrain
Conference Aisles Were Clogged with Robust Exhibitors and Energetic Attendees The most prominent technology conference in healthcare arrived in Orlando, FL, from March 13th to 18th. Driven by either an eagerness for personal interaction in the wake of an arduous...
James Gfrerer, CEO, Federal Business, LLC, on GovCIO HIMSS podcast
Amy Kluber, editor of GovCIO Media sat with Jim Gfrerer, CEO, Federal Business, LLC and former Assistant Secretary CIO of US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), for GovCIO Media’s HIMSS podcast. Ms. Kluber’s pointed questions focused on Mr. Gfrerer’s perspective...
APM: graduates from nice-to-have to must-have
Imagine if you were a passenger on an airline and the pilot announced, “I have no instruments in the cockpit, so please let me know if one of our engines stops running.” This is how many of the software applications in Veterans Affairs (VA) operated in the...
Meet The InnoVAtor:
Jay Paluch Interview
Jay Paluch, Director, Operations Triage Group, Office of Information and Technology, US Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA), sits with Bill James, President, Federal Business, LLC. They discuss the role played by the Triage group to address – event anticipate – trouble spots that arise in VA’s vast IT network.
Meet The InnoVAtor:
Jack Galvin Interview
Jack Galvin, Executive Director, End User Services, Veterans Affairs Office of Information and Technology, sits with Bill James, President, Federal Business, LLC. They discuss a wide range of topics including the challenges of providing VA’s end users the technology they need to serve Veterans.
Meet The InnoVAtor:
Michael Parrish Interview
Michael Parrish, VA’s Chief Acquisition Officer sits with James Gfrerer, CEO of Federal Business, LLC, and former VA CIO. You’ll hear about Pathfinder, the new vendor portal, and other “major acquisition reforms” impacting how vendors can engage with their VA clients and prospects.
