Electronic Records for Veteran Patients: Innovator’s Focus

The Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) maintains a patients’ electronic health care history that substantially improves efficiency, reduces costs and demonstrably improves clinical decision-making. Patient files are readily available, easily searchable, and proactive in that they alert providers to vital patient information. The program is an initiative of the US Department of Veteran Affairs and was a 2006 Innovations in American Government Award winner.