At the end of February the Department of Veterans Affairs issued a patient safety advisory regarding the potential for seeing incorrect or incomplete Department of Defense patient medical records when using their computerized patient record system. In early March, VA issued a patient safety alert and disabled their system’s ability to electronically view DoD data. 

Some folks have asked why DoD does not have a patient safety alert issued while the VA does – so it is important to understand that DoD’s electronic health record system, AHLTA, is not impacted by this issue.   

When the VA alerted us of this problem, we immediately investigated both the accuracy and completeness of the data we send to the VA and the accuracy and completeness of the data we get from the VA. Working with the VA, we determined that the DoD data going to the VA and the data coming from the VA to the DoD is both accurate and complete. 

Further, in order to ensure the utmost safety of our patients, we thoroughly examined the VA data that is displayed in our electronic health record system, AHLTA, to ensure it’s both accurate and complete. We confirmed that AHLTA is able to send accurate and reliable data to the VA and AHLTA is also able to obtain and display accurate and reliable data from the VA for use by DoD clinicians. 

Until these issues are corrected, DoD shares information with the VA through other means to ensure all patients receive the highest quality of care possible.

Both departments are continuing to work very closely to resolve this issue.