As I wrote on LMN: the usual smells of health-IT failure: mandate from above what technology will be used, knee-jerk move towards proprietary software and massive expenditure followed by abysmal failure.
I can concieve of some solid business cases where the VA would want to purchase this kind of system -vs- build it in house -vs- paying an open source development crew to build one. As with any project, there is a point at which building in-house -vs- purchasing fails to pay off. Open Source, of course, tips that balance in favor of procuring a system built on open source licensing and development.
What I want to see, however, are the facts behind the project - budgets, issues, features, and all the bells and whistles that made this package attractive to the VA in the first place.
Hey, I would put up a team of 30 open source developers against this kind of product any day, but to do that I need to know exactly what was bought. Let's hope the VA is not closed-mouthed about the project details.
Ignacio mentioned he was not he "write your congressperson" type, but there is a lot of value in that - how do you think vendors get a voice with the VA at times? I am a write your congressperson type, but don't want to do it alone. Happy to submit some nice letters to my local congressperson if people get them to me.
Richard Schilling
-- IV
On Wed, 18 Feb 2004 22:27:09 -0500 "Kantor, Gary" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:This brief story - http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/7983667.htm -
recounts the apparent failure of a new $450m application at a VA Hospital.
It sounds like an Enterprise Resource Planning app. Do any of our
VA-affiliated members know how this fits with VistA/CPRS?
Gary Kantor
The enclosed information is STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL and is intended for the use of the addressee only. University Hospitals Health System and its affiliates disclaim any responsibility for unauthorized disclosure of this information to anyone other than the addressee. Federal and Ohio law protect patient medical information disclosed in this email, including psychiatric disorders, (HIV) test results, AIDs-related conditions, alcohol, and/or drug dependence or abuse. Federal regulation (42 CFR Part 2) and Ohio Revised Code section 5122.31 and 3701.243 prohibit disclosure of this information without the specific written consent of the person to whom it pertains, or as otherwise permitted by law.
