President Donald Trump and his Veterans Administration (VA) Secretary Doug Collins have both said they have as a top priority the improvement of health care for our nation’s veterans.
How do we know President Trump and Secretary Collins are sincere about this? Because Collins was only sworn in on February 5th. And on March 6th this happened….
VA to Speed Up Health Records System Rollout, With New Sites This Year:
“Veterans Affairs officials plan to rapidly accelerate the rollout of the department’s new electronic health record system this year, adding 13 new sites to the deployment schedule in 2026.
“In December, department leaders had announced plans to resume deployment of the controversial Oracle Cerner (MHS Genesis) system in mid-2026, with a few sites implementing training and software over the next 18 months.
“But in an interview with Military Times this week, VA Secretary Doug Collins called that schedule too short-sighted and slow. He promised quicker delivery on the pledge of a revamped health records system for patients and employees.
“’This has been a $10 billion project that’s not going anywhere,’ Collins said. ‘So I’m pleased to announce right now that we’re moving forward on a new plan that is going to bring by next year double or almost triple the number of hospitals online.’”
That is outstanding news for veterans.
The VA has been keeping their health records on computers running decades-old software. You can imagine the myriad problems this causes.
Each of our nation’s 84 VA hospitals has spent these decades stylizing and personalizing their respective systems. Each is now so outdated and individualized, no VA hospital is able to share its veterans’ data with any other VA hospital. Or any other health care provider on the planet, public or private.
This data isolation is a huge impediment to a very good 2014 law: The Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act. Which then-President Trump in 2017 extended and expanded.
These laws allow veterans to see any health care provider they want, public or private. Which would be a huge improvement for our veterans. Except, these outdated records systems make it nearly impossible for most veterans to take advantage.
The VA’s systems must be updated, upgraded, streamlined and mainlined. With the goal of working better, and working better together. And now Trump and Collins are not only doing it? They are doing it full throttle.
Collins is undoubtedly, additionally frustrated by this project “not going anyhere” in the VA? Because the entirety of the Defense Department (DoD) has already successfully implemented the exact same system:
“With approximately 194,000 provisioned users globally, MHS GENESIS enables the application of standardized workflows as well as integrated health care delivery and data standards for the improved and secure electronic exchange of medical and patient data. DOD completed MHS GENESIS deployment to all DOD hospitals and clinics throughout the world in 2024.”
Trump and Collins know what’s good for the DoD – is good for the VA. That we must now finish what we started. And bring our nation’s veterans into health care modernity.
And let’s keep the pedal to metal all the way to the finish line.
Bill Card is a retired US Marine Infantry Officer and government technology and telecommunications contractor. He and his wife live in Virginia.
