Fourth team enters bid for DoD EHR modernization contract
Another joint venture has thrown its hat into the ring in the bid for the Department of Defense's (DoD) $11 million EHR modernization contract.
PwC leads the team that also includes DSS and MedSphere--two vendors of commercialized software based on the Department of Veteran Affairs’ VistA EHR--and systems integrator General Dynamics Information Technology.
With a plan to leverage investments already made by the government into the Open Source Electronic Health Record Alliance and to combine open source software with commercial applications, "Our approach fosters continued innovation and adaptability, without the need to be being 'locked in' to one technology,” said Kelly Barnes, PwC’s U.S. health industries leader, in a release.
"An interoperable healthcare IT management system that leverages existing investments not only creates efficiency and significant cost savings, it promotes better health outcomes for active duty military, veterans and their families," said Scott McIntyre, PwC's U.S. public sector leader, in a release.
PwC's team is proposing an open architecture-based integrated EHR that promotes greater ease of integration with existing DoD legacy systems, as well as unlimited access to ongoing EHR innovations. PwC selected its proposed solution based on an extensive technical analysis using the DoD's unique government EHR requirements and the MHS' patient safety and quality standards.
This bid could be the least viable because the DoD has not taken multiple opportunities in the past to adopt VA’s VistA. And, DSS and MedSphere have primarily worked with smaller providers so they may not be able to match the scalability of contract competitors Epic, Cerner and Allscripts. However, DSS and MedSphere are veteran vendors when it comes to the VA's VistA technology with which the DoD will have to integrate. MedSphere alone has more than 400 installs.
Bids are due by October 9, and the selection is expected in the third quarter of fiscal 2015.
Editor
Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.