Over the next six years, VA hospitals nationwide are moving all patient records to one national electronic system.
The long-awaited change is happening after three unsuccessful attempts since 2001.
Since mid summer, the Dayton VA has been making this transition to benefit its clients. Now, the federal government is closely watching its progress and even got a visit this week from a leader in the Trump administration.
The electronic health record, or EHR, will be a digital tool to track all medical records of every veteran – from their military service to present day. The system puts all of a veteran's information in one place, making it easier for physicians and patients to access.
Dayton’s VA will take its EHR live in June.
Monthly, the Dayton VA serves between 10,000 to12,000 veterans needing a range of health services. One of those clients is Brian Hayes who served in the Navy for four years. He’s also Dayton VA’s acting medical director.
"As a veteran myself, and I receive all my health care at the VA, I'm excited to be able to interact with a health record that actually is useful for me," Hayes said. "This new system will provide a dashboard to really go into our records and manage our own health care."
In addition, this digital system can be accessed by doctors outside of the VA network.
Paul Lawrence is the deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He visited the Dayton VA and observed staff training on the new system. According to Lawrence, this tool can also benefit families.
"Sadly, veterans pass, and their families may be eligible for benefits, too. This will help us better determine what the situation was for your veteran and what benefits you will be eligible as a survivor," Lawrence said.
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