This program is sponsored by Denodo.

The Department of Veterans Affairs says it will rely on its VistA electronic health record system for another five to ten years. The VA’s transition to the Cerner health record system is on hold now. VA officials outlined their plan for maintaining VistA at a hearing of the House Veterans Affairs Technology Modernization subcommittee Tuesday. Jim Gfrerer, founder and Principal at Fidelis Technology and former Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology and Chief Information Officer at the Department of Veterans Affairs, was a witness at the hearing. He tells me what he sees moving forward for maintaining VistA, and transitioning to a new system.

The E-Gov Act is 20 years old now. Six of the seven former Federal Chief Information Officers and E-Gov Administrators gathered recently for an exclusive conversation about the past, present, and future of federal I-T. That hour-long conversation is available exclusively at FedGovToday.com, featuring Mark Forman, Karen Evans, Steve VanRoekel, Tony Scott, Suzette Kent, and the current Federal CIO, Clare Martorana. This special presentation is sponsored by Denodo. In today’s highlight, Tony Scott, Mark Forman, and Clare Martorana describe the strategy-building process that allows them to think ahead about building the federal IT enterprise, instead of just blocking and tackling.

The Defense Department’s financial management system is on the Government Accountability Office’s High Risk List again. It’s been on the list now for nearly 30 years. Kevin Walsh, Director of the Information Technology and Cybersecurity Team at GAO, reviews new findings of progress the Department is making - and isn’t making - to get its financial house in order.

Photo: Jim Gfrerer, former VA CIO (screen capture from House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing footage)