Authored by Zach McIlwain Leadership Fellow Devin Wozniak

The rollout of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ new electronic health record (EHR) system, currently underway across four Michigan VA Healthcare Centers, deserves a measured response. One grounded in cautious optimism rather than blind enthusiasm or reflexive skepticism. After years of delays, cost overruns, and well-documented challenges in earlier deployments, the stakes for getting this right could not be higher.

There can be little argument that the current, legacy Veterans Integrated Systems Technical Architecture (VistA) system needs replacement. Originally adopted in the mid-90s, it was groundbreaking at the time. However, that was more than 30 years ago, and the system is tragically outdated, despite multiple updates and overlays over the decades, something I can attest to personally as a former Veterans Health Administration employee.

At its core, the promise of a modernized EHR system is compelling. A unified platform, aligned with the Department of Defense, has the potential to streamline care, reduce duplication, and ensure that veterans’ medical histories follow them seamlessly from the first exam at MEPS through the rest of their lives. For a state like Michigan, home to a large and diverse veteran population, that kind of interoperability could meaningfully improve both access and clinical outcomes.

But optimism must be tempered by experience. Previous rollouts exposed serious issues: system outages, scheduling disruptions, and clinician frustration that, in some cases, translated into delays in care and, reportedly, four deaths. Michigan cannot afford a repeat; the United States cannot afford a repeat. Veterans deserve a system that works on day one, not one that improves only after months of disruption and tinkering.

Encouragingly, the VA appears to be applying lessons learned, emphasizing phased implementation, staff training, accountability metrics, and frequent oversight from senior leaders like Deputy Secretary Paul Lawrence and members of Congress. If executed well, Michigan could become a turning point, proof that the system can deliver on its promise on a national level.

For now, the right posture is neither celebration nor condemnation, but vigilance. Veterans have waited long enough. This time, progress must be real, and it must be felt where it matters most: in the quality of their care.

About IAVA: IAVA stands at the center of people, policy, and institutions to ensure that the lived experience of post-9/11 veterans is heard, measured, and acted on. We pair the experiences of post-9/11 veterans with evidence, use that to shape policy, and work with institutions that serve veterans to ensure that policies become real in veterans’ lives. By convening veterans, researchers, and decision-makers, IAVA drives the changes needed to ensure America serves the newest generation of veterans. 

Contact Information:

Jessica Finucan
Director, Policy and Advocacy
Email: press@iava.org
Website: IAVA.org