Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Veterans Affairs Set To Unveil New Electronic Health Record System
A leader with the Veterans Affairs Department on Wednesday confirmed to lawmakers that the agency is on track to bring its first site live on a new $16 billion electronic health record system next month, saying the system is 99% ready. That first site—Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane, Wash.—is scheduled to go live on the new Cerner Corp. EHR system on Oct. 24. (Cohen, 9/30)
In other updates from the Trump administration —
The Justice Department is investigating whether acquisitions by Medtronic PLC limited competition in ventilator manufacturing, according to people familiar with the matter, an antitrust probe that emerged from complaints about device shortages during the coronavirus pandemic. Medtronic has received a civil subpoena from the Justice Department formally requesting more information, the people said. (Kendall, 9/30)
HHS' Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology granted $2.5 million to five local health information exchanges to improve health data interoperability, the agency said Wednesday. According to HHS, the funding will help state and local public health agencies respond to public health emergencies like natural disasters and pandemics. The agency will administer the funds through the Strengthening the Technical Advancement and Readiness of Public Health Agencies via Health Information Exchange—STAR HIE—program. (Brady, 9/30)
