I reported today on the suspension of a botched, eight-year effort to develop a new patient appointment scheduling application at the Veterans Affairs Department, and I have a hunch that is just one of potentially many VA IT projects in real trouble.
That hunch is based on the last page of the March 20 internal memo from Dr. Michael Kussman, under secretary for health for the Veterans Health Administration, to Stephen Warren, VA acting assistant secretary for information and technology about problems with the system.
Kussman wrote:
"The number of programs we see and hear being [about] delayed makes it evident that we need to be proactive by conducting immediately an end-to-end status check of all our development programs."
I hope when they are done, either Kussman or Warren sends me the memo.
One project that seems to need immediate attention according to Kussman is a critter called the Pharmacy Re-Engineering 0.5 Order Check Enhancement Project. Kussman told Warren, "As you know, any delay in this program has severe safety implications," but he did not elaborate.
I have asked VA to explain to me what the Pharmacy Re-Engineering 0.5 Order Check Enhancement Project is supposed to do and the safety implications of not doing it. I hope to report back in a day or two. Meanwhile, get your meds at Walgreens.
Kussman also dealt with one key issue in his memo that has nothing to do with patient care or safety, but a lot with the bureaucracy: "Finally, we need a clear communication plan for how we tell the story both inside and outside VA," he told Warren.
That probably includes informing VA Secretary Eric Shinseki of problems with the scheduling application, which Kussman said, "We need top do at once."
But I'm told that as of Tuesday morning no notification had been made, 11 days after the memo was written.
COMMENTS
To Mr or Ms JLS, I am retired from the government and I was an accountant and auditor so I do know a bit about what the VA or any other federal agency needs and should try to buy. As a veteran, I also have a keen interest in the VA and what it does. I have NO desire to delay any procurement, including this one. I do have a desire for the entire government, including the VA to do the right thing with my tax money and get the best product for the best price.
You must be retired too if you had the time to read the VA RFP as it is absolutely enormous and takes quite a few hours to wade through.
My comments were my opinion. Of course, you are welcome to disagree but disagreeing does not provide you with a license to make unsupported accusations. Perhaps you protest too loudly and I wonder if you have a "dog in this fight" meaning what company do you work for that generated such a zealous refutation?
SJH 04/07/09 11:58 am ET
Oh please! I have no interest in who wins IFAS, but I have read the RFP carefully. No bias whatsoever. SJH above is spreading, "fear, uncertainty, doubt" probably so they can get the procurement delayed. Whine Whine.
JLS 04/06/09 01:56 pm ET
Big surprise! The VA issued its RFP for its new IFAS to handle its financial management, accounting, some procurement and logistics too. Unfortunately, the way the VA wrote the RFP, it is very apparent that the VA has already made up its mind that it wants to buy Momentum and is not open to any alternative so they really aren't holding fair and open competition. It is really unfortunate considering the VA's really poor record in various areas, especially implementing and running IT systems. I hope the Congress smells this one out and makes the VA stop the IFAS competition and change it to become a truly open and fair competition.
SJH 04/06/09 09:37 am ET