Bill Overview
Title: VA Electronic Health Record Transparency Act of 2021
Description: This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to report quarterly on (1) the costs of its Electronic Health Record Modernization Program, including by describing all expenses driven by the program; and (2) the performance metrics and outcomes of the program.
Sponsors: Rep. Mrvan, Frank J. [D-IN-1]
Target Audience
Population: People using VA healthcare or involved with its Electronic Health Record system
Estimated Size: 8000000
- The bill concerns the Department of Veterans Affairs and its Electronic Health Record Modernization Program.
- The primary individuals who will be impacted are those who receive healthcare through the VA system.
- This includes veterans who utilize VA healthcare facilities, which number in the millions.
- Additional stakeholders include VA healthcare providers who will be using the electronic health record system.
Reasoning
- The VA Electronic Health Record Transparency Act of 2021 is aimed at enhancing transparency and improving outcomes in the VA healthcare system by providing detailed reports on the costs and performance metrics of its modernization program. This policy could potentially affect a wide range of individuals, primarily those involved with or receiving care from the VA healthcare system.
- Since the policy specifically targets the VA system's modernization, where electronic health records are involved, it may have varying impacts on veterans who regularly utilize VA services, VA healthcare providers, and administrative staff who manage these records.
- Given that there are about 8 million veterans using the VA healthcare system, the policy is likely to have a range of impacts, from boosting the efficiency of healthcare services to possibly causing initial job adjustments for administrators and healthcare providers.
- The budget and scale of the policy might restrict broader operational changes initially but aim for long-term improvements in the healthcare experience and transparency of costs and outcomes, which should improve veterans' wellbeing over time.
Simulated Interviews
Retired, uses VA healthcare services regularly (Houston, TX)
Age: 68 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this will make my hospital visits more efficient.
- It's tough dealing with paperwork and waits at the VA hospital.
- I just want to see how it will affect my access to care.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
VA hospital nurse (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 43 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This transparency could make our jobs easier in the long run.
- I worry about the initial learning curve though.
- Ultimately, it's about improving care for our patients.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
IT Specialist at VA hospital (Chicago, IL)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Greater transparency should come with better resources for us.
- I'm supportive as long as it helps protect patient data more.
- Security in these systems is crucial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
VA administrative staff (New York, NY)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I expect a lot of extra work initially.
- If this leads to improved service and cost management, it'll be worth it.
- I hope this gets us resources we need.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Veteran advocate volunteer (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This is a crucial step toward accountability.
- Hoping for better allocation of resources from this.
- The wellbeing of veterans I help should improve over time.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Recently discharged veteran (Seattle, WA)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm just starting to navigate the VA system.
- Hope this makes the process less daunting.
- I want more support to ensure correct treatment.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
VA mental health counselor (Miami, FL)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Updates are essential for us to track patient care effectively.
- Electronic inefficiencies can impact mental health treatment.
- I hope to spend less time fighting tech.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Retired, using no VA healthcare (Boston, MA)
Age: 72 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This doesn't affect me personally.
- I have confidence in the care I receive outside the VA.
- I hope it helps those who use the VA system though.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Spouse of a VA healthcare user (San Antonio, TX)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I want quicker updates and care for my husband.
- Hoping for less time in waiting rooms.
- Electronic systems should simplify health management.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
VA social worker, focusing on underserved veterans (Pittsburgh, PA)
Age: 62 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 12.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Need for modern systems is critical.
- If implemented well, this could mean better support for those we care for.
- Improved data accuracy is key to my work.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $15000000 (Low: $12000000, High: $18000000)
Year 2: $15500000 (Low: $12500000, High: $18500000)
Year 3: $16000000 (Low: $13000000, High: $19000000)
Year 5: $17000000 (Low: $14000000, High: $20000000)
Year 10: $19000000 (Low: $16000000, High: $22000000)
Year 100: $25000000 (Low: $21000000, High: $29000000)
Key Considerations
- The modernization and reporting requirements of the Electronic Health Record system are critical to VA healthcare efficiency.
- Balancing the cost of implementation with the potential for improved healthcare outcomes is crucial.
- Monitoring and evaluation of the system's performance will be necessary to justify expenses.