Brown Has Long Fought to Ensure Ohio’s VA Facilities Have Resources to Serve Ohio Veterans
COLUMBUS, OH – October 20, 2022 -Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary Donald M. Remy toured the Chalmers P. Wylie VA Ambulatory Care Center in Columbus. During the visit, Brown and Remy met with facility leadership and frontline staff and discussed VA’s electronic health record modernization and the facility’s priorities. The Chalmers facility started using Oracle Cerner’s Electronic Health Record in April, but ongoing technical issues have created challenges for frontline staff during the transition.
“I’ve traveled around the state holding roundtables with veterans about the newly-signed PACT Act – and one thing I hear again and again from Ohio veterans is just how important VA Care is to them and their families,” said Brown. “I’m grateful for the hard work of the staff here at Chalmers, discovering and tackling new concerns with the electronic health record system every day – and I want to ensure that those problems are addressed as quickly as possible so veterans can get the care they’ve earned and deserve.”
Brown has raised concerns over patient safety and interoperability in regard to VA’s Electronic Health Record (EHR) roll out. In a September hearing, he urged VA Secretary Denis McDonough to stop a broader EHR roll out until all the concerns are addressed. Earlier this month, VA postponed the EHR rollout to additional VA sites until June 2023.
“Today, I had the privilege of visiting with Veterans and VA colleagues during my tour of the Chalmers P. Wylie Ambulatory Care Center alongside Senator Brown,” said VA Deputy Secretary Donald Remy. “Together, Senator Brown and I saw firsthand the passion and dedication of our VA staff in delivering word-class health care to the Veterans of Ohio. We will continue to provide the very best to these Veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors — because they deserve nothing less.”
Approximately 44,000 veterans from 14 Ohio counties used Chalmers P. Wylie ACC’s services last year.