More problems with Oracle Cerner

[Nancy Anthracite]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2025/12/03/veterans-administration-va-hospitals-health

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Nancy Anthracite

[Rob Kellock]

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/dec/03/va-staff-flag-dangerous-errors-ahead-of-new-health/

I think this is the same story without a paywall.  Near the end of the article an ex-staffer says:

``` Rachael Orozco, who resigned in early October from her position as a primary care doctor at White City VA Medical Center in Oregon, said she saw some improvements – such as the addition of a messaging function – but the new system continued to slow care. She said she used to see 13 to 14 patients per day. But after three years using the new computer system, she said she and her colleagues were “just barely able to see about 10.”  ```

This IMO, is the metric that should concern VA management. Imagine how many more staff will they need nation-wide with a 25% productivity drop? That's probably why a government official earlier in the article says:

``` At the congressional hearing in February, Carol Harris, a GAO director in the IT division, estimated the long-term costs of the program could be in the “hundreds of billions of dollars, potentially.” ```

 

Which begs the question. When ALL costs are factored in, is IT a benefit or a cost to society? Perhaps paper records on clipboards at the ends of patients beds and in filing cabinets, really is, the most effective way to deliver health care.