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Washington, D.C. – Japanese Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) right this moment testified earlier than the Home Veterans Affairs Committee throughout a listening to on the Division of Veterans Affairs and Oracle Cerner’s digital well being file (EHR) system. In her testimony, Cathy highlighted the continuing points with the damaged system, her considerations with affected person care, and rumors about workers and providers being diminished on the Mann-Grandstaff and Walla Walla Medical Facilities.
Cathy additionally doubled down on her requires the VA to tug the plug on the Oracle CernerEHR and return to a system that works. Medical Administrators Robert Fischer (Mann-Grandstaff) and Scott Kelter (Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial) had been additionally witnesses at right this moment’s listening to.
Cathy’s remarks as ready for supply:
“Thanks Chairman Bost and Rating Member Takano for holding this listening to right this moment and giving me the chance to deal with the committee.
“The Oracle Cerner digital well being file system has been an entire failure. It has created extra issues than it’s solved.
“From the very starting, veterans in Japanese Washington have been sounding the alarm concerning the points with the EHR. Prescription errors, Dropped appointments. Misplaced referrals. Pricey errors that immediately harmed practically 150 veterans.
“150 women and men who risked their lives for our nation had been harmed by the very company who promised to look after them upon their return.
“Irresponsible doesn’t even start to explain it.
“To make issues worse, this damaged system has fully demoralized workers who weren’t adequately educated on the brand new system. Suppliers and assist workers have struggled to beat the software program glitches and fixed outages.
“They’ve been frolicked to dry whereas making an attempt to assist annoyed veterans navigate a system that they themselves are burdened by. For too many it’s turn out to be an excessive amount of.
“A devastating quantity of workers are quitting as a result of they’re exhausted and simply can’t take it anymore.That is making unhealthy workers shortages worse, creating longer wait instances, and making it harder for veterans to get the care they want.
“This method has turn out to be such an issue that it’s consuming the budgets of our native VA amenities inflicting them to function at a loss.
“For months, we’ve heard rumors of decreasing workers and providers to make the numbers work, which isn’t an answer that ought to even be on the desk.Whereas Secretary McDonough dedicated to me that this received’t occur, I have to reiterate that any cuts could be unacceptable.
“We’ve already invested billions of {dollars} into what was as soon as an awesome concept that has sadly failed to realize its sole function: enhance well being look after veterans in the USA.We’ve given the VA and Oracle Cerner each attainable alternative for enchancment however the issues with this method are countless.
“Veterans in Japanese Washington have had sufficient. They’re uninterested in being the guinea pigs on this failed experiment. They’ve pleaded for it to cease however their considerations and mine have been dismissed at each flip.
“The VA’s lack of all transparency has led to a devastating breakdown in belief amongst veterans. This should change. We owe it to our nation’s heroes to get this proper.
“I consider that begins with pulling the plug on this deeply damaged system and going again to 1 that works instantly. However till then, I’m dedicated to creating this work as greatest we are able to for our veterans who don’t have any different selection.”
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