Use of Automatic Data Processing in the Veterans Administration To Support Medical Care Facilities

A review of the use of automatic data processing (ADP) resources throughout the Veterans Administration (VA) revealed that long-range planning is poor. ADP support to the medical centers has been decentralized, poorly coordinated, and sporadic. A future support system has begun without the planning, coordination, and user involvement needed to assure its success. While VA uses and manages data processing resources in specialized areas in its 172 medical centers, about 13 common functions have been identified at each center that could be automated. To date, automation within the VA medical centers has hinged largely on the degree of initiative of the individual medical centers. Functions already independently automated by the various medical centers must be critically examined to determine whether they can contribute to the support system currently being developed to capitalize on the existing VA investment in automated medical support. The functional interdependencies between automated systems operated by other VA departments must also be investigated. At the close of fiscal year 1979, VA entered into 16 medical ADP procurements. Subsequent to the award of these contracts and purchase orders, inquiries conducted into their propriety disclosed that VA violated Federal procurement regulations in five terminated contracts. In response to recommendations for overcoming these problems, VA has moved to establish a greater degree of senior management involvement in the management and control of VA-wide ADP resources. Several policy directives have been signed which tighten the approval, coordination, and control of ADP resources. A user group representing the medical centers has been established, and five separate committees, each concerned with a specific area of medical center automation, has been organized within this group. While these are important steps in the right direction, it is too soon to assess the contribution they will make toward helping to improve patient care in the medical centers.