DoD delays Cerner EHR modernization
The U.S. Department of Defense said it is pushing back its giant $4.3 billion EHR modernization project with Cerner at least a few months.
"During the testing of the system, we identified the need for more time before initial deployment to ensure we are providing the best possible user experience to our beneficiaries and health care providers,” DoD Program Executive Officer Stacy Cummings said in a statement. “We collaborated closely with our vendor, the Leidos Partnership for Defense Health, to make the best overall decision for the successful deployment of MHS Genesis.”
[Also: A look inside Epic's EHR design and usability teams]
The Pentagon awarded the contract to Cerner, Leidos and Henry Schlein in the summer of 2015 and named the project MHS Genesis in April of 2016.
DoD had been scheduled to begin implementing the EHR December 6, starting in Washington state with a pilot at a naval hospital.
"We have a responsibility to our customers to ensure that all required test procedures and processes are completed in an orderly manner,” Cummings said.
Cerner spokesperson Marlene Bentley added that the additional configuration and testing will help the technology perform at "an optimal level when scaled across MHS facilities."
The Defense Department said that it will release more specifics about the delay within 30 days.
Twitter: @SiwickiHealthIT
Email the writer: bill.siwicki@himssmedia.com
