Cerner VA EHR Fails Uptime Obligation, Nurse Avoids Jail After Fatal Error

May 18, 2022 - Cerner’s endeavor to modernize the VA EHR system has experienced several speed bumps since its first site implementation in 2020. The most recent issues with the EHR program forced Cerner to issue a discount to the VA after more than 50 downtime incidents resulted in the company’s failure to meet a contractual obligation.

Meanwhile, a notorious trial involving the case of one Tennessee nurse ended after the nurse was sentenced to three years of probation.

No Prison Time for Nurse Convicted of Fatal Error

RaDonda Vaught, a Tennessee nurse, will face no prison time after being convicted of criminally negligent homicide and gross neglect. In 2017, Vaught mistakenly administered the wrong medication to a 75-year-old patient resulting in that person’s death. During the trial, prosecutors argued that Vaught’s override of the hospital’s computerized medicine cabinet demonstrated recklessness. If Vaught completes a three-year probation period, her criminal record will be expunged. READ MORE.

Cerner EHR Fails VA Uptime Obligation

Cerner failed to maintain an EHR uptime obligation included in its $10 billion Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) contract, forcing the EHR vendor to issue a credit in exchange for lacking service. The service was down for 30 hours and 33 minutes from 2020 to 2022, including 50 periods when the product was unusable and 42 unplanned degradations. Terry Adirim, the executive director of the VA EHR Modernization (EHRM) Integration Office, did not specify the dollar amount of the discount. Cerner issued a statement saying that it will “quickly and aggressively” address system concerns. READ MORE.

VA EHR has Gone Down 50 Times Since 2020

The Cerner EHR system implemented at Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center has suffered fifty outages since its implementation in 2020. The outages have prompted lawmakers to urge VA officials to delay the implementation of the EHR system at larger facilities until issues can be resolved. Accounting from the Office of the Inspector General now estimates that the original $10 billion EHR budget will be doubled to $21 billion or more before the project is finished. READ MORE.

FDA Bill Includes Medical Device Security

Legislation recently introduced by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) includes provisions that would require additional measures to ensure medical device security. According to the bill, manufacturers would be required to “design, develop, and maintain processes and procedures to ensure the device and related systems are cybersecure and shall make available updates and patches to the cyber device and related systems throughout the lifecycle of the cyber device.” Additional portions of the bill would extend user-fee programs for drugs, devices, and biologics. READ MORE.

Alabama Medicaid Sued for Hep C Coverage Policy

In December 2021, Alabama received a D+ for Medicaid programs involving the treatment of hepatitis C. A complaint was filed by AIDS Alabama and the Center for Health Law and Policy (CHLPI) against Alabama’s Medicaid Program on the grounds that treatment for hepatitis C was being limited unfairly against patients with substance use disorders. In Alabama and seven other states, hepatitis C coverage is limited if a patient is actively abusing substances or has done so in the past six months. AIDS Alabama and CHLPI are working to remove substance abuse screening requirements from prior authorization forms. They also urge the Medicaid program to drop blanket denial for patients with substance use disorder and hepatitis C. READ MORE.