VA Deputy Secretary on Resuming EHR Rollout | HealthCast
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Dr. Paul Lawrence, Deputy Secretary and Acting CIO at the Department of Veterans Affairs, joins Sarah Seibert on HealthCast to discuss the resumption of the VA's Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program after a 3-year pause. Lawrence reflects on key lessons from the hiatus, emphasizing intentional leadership from the top, the importance of standardization over customization, and deep engagement with frontline staff—particularly pharmacists—whose feedback directly shaped major improvements to the Oracle Cerner pharmacy module. He highlights a collaborative, rapid-response approach involving biweekly meetings with Oracle developers, community of practice input, and a focus on workflow efficiency, resulting in 17 targeted changes implemented ahead of the Michigan rollout. Initial feedback from the pilot is overwhelmingly positive, with users reporting a more intuitive interface, fewer clicks, and better support. Lawrence underscores the transformative role of practitioner involvement, change management champions, and transparent communication in overcoming resistance and building trust. Looking ahead, he envisions a scalable model for future rollouts, driven by real-time feedback and a culture of co-creation between VA teams and technology partners.
Intentional leadership and top-down commitment are critical for large-scale health IT modernization.
Engaging frontline practitioners early and often leads to better software design and adoption.
Standardization over customization reduces complexity and improves system performance.
Rapid, iterative development cycles—driven by biweekly collaboration with vendors—can accelerate meaningful improvements.
Change management is as important as technology; champions and peer-to-peer education build trust.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Introduction and Context: The EHRM Pause and Restart
Sarah Seibert welcomes Dr. Paul Lawrence, VA Deputy Secretary and Acting CIO, to discuss the resumption of the VA’s EHR Modernization program after a three-year pause since April 2023. The episode sets the stage by highlighting the significance of this moment for the VA and the broader federal health IT landscape.
Leadership, Standardization, and Lessons from the Pause
Lawrence outlines key lessons from the pause: the necessity of top-level commitment, the dangers of customization, and the strategic advantage of Oracle’s acquisition of Cerner. He emphasizes intentional leadership and the need for clarity in purpose and execution.
Frontline Engagement and Change Management
“We're not doing this to you. We're working with you to make certain you understand it.”
The Pharmacy Module Transformation: A Case Study in Success
“This is a huge success around collaboration, around building requirements, designing, testing, and then getting it in.”
Future Outlook and Measuring Success
Lawrence shares optimistic early feedback from the Michigan rollout, including improved usability and staff enthusiasm. He looks ahead to scaling the model across all 26 sites, emphasizing continuous feedback loops and a culture of shared ownership.
“It looked like on Saturday morning at five o'clock. You turn it on, it works. People sit in front of it and they say, this is so much better.”
“This is a huge success around collaboration, around building requirements, designing, testing, and then getting it in.”
“You turn it on, it works. People sit in front of it and they say, this is so much better.”
Host
Guest
Dr. Paul Lawrence
person
Department of Veterans Affairs
organization
Oracle
organization
Cerner
organization
Michigan
place
CPRS
product
2031
other
Saginaw
place
Ohio
place
Columbus
place
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