What You Should Know
- The Deal: Accenture Federal Services (AFS) has won a pivotal 4.5-year contract to support the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program.
- The Mission: The project aims to replace aging legacy systems with a single, integrated Oracle Health platform, creating a seamless “lifetime health record” that follows a soldier from active duty into veteran status.
- The Strategy: Accenture will be serving as the “program management backbone.” Their scope includes strategic system integration, enterprise-wide change management, and the integration of AI to accelerate clinical transformation.
The “Lifetime Record” Mandate
The core technical challenge is interoperability. Currently, transferring data from the Department of Defense (active duty) to the VA (veteran status) is fraught with friction. The EHRM program aims to replace legacy systems (VistA) with the modern Oracle Health (formerly Cerner) platform.
- The Goal: Create a secure, lifetime health record that requires no manual transfer.
- The Impact: High-quality, safe care that follows the service member, reducing the “administrative lag” that often delays treatment for new veterans.
Beyond Software: The “Change Management” Factor
Deploying software is easy; getting thousands of clinicians to use it is hard. Accenture’s specific remit highlights a focus on the human side of the equation. The contract explicitly tasks AFS with “Change Management and User Adoption.” This suggests the VA recognizes that previous stumbles were likely cultural as much as technical. AFS will drive comprehensive communications and stakeholder engagement to ensure that doctors and nurses actually embrace the new workflows.
“Our relationship with VA is built on a foundation of mission success, from modernizing the delivery of education benefits to reducing wait times for community care referrals,” said Susie Rainey, Managing Director and Account Lead for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “We are committed to our nation’s Veterans who are at the heart of this program. We are proud to serve as a strategic partner to the VA, applying our technical expertise, clinical insights, and innovation to ensure that every Veteran receives the highest standard of care.”
