VA Seeks Vendor Feedback on Data-Driven EHR Integrations

The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has requested information regarding data-driven EHR integrations, such as clinical decision support (CDS), precision medicine, artificial intelligence (AI), and application program interfaces (APIs).

VA’s goal is to leverage data-and user-based approaches by purchasing EHR solutions and training solutions. The agency said it seeks more information about specific EHR solution capabilities, deliveries, and other market information on how to purchase the tools.

VA officials highlighted seven tasks that may require potential vendors or partnerships.

“The emergence of new technologies in clinical care delivery, such as 3-dimensional printing and virtual reality, represent foundational shifts in health care delivery,” VA wrote.

“To realize the full value of these solutions in an effort to advance clinical care writ large, rapid prototyping, testing, evaluation and integration in the clinical workflow of proven solutions will need to occur more seamlessly, and rapidly, than ever before. To accomplish this, the Veterans Health Administration will require subject matter expertise, both clinical and scientific, across various disciplines,” VA continued. 

Under the first task, the ideal vendor would need to assist the government with end-to-end design and EHR integration for advanced manufacturing for clinical care, robotic process automation (RPA), immersive technologies, precision medicine, remote care, AI, APIs, edge computing, 5G technology, and healthcare blockchain.

Next, VA wants to look into advanced CDS and data-driven decision-making in healthcare. The agency said it wants a partner with subject matter experts in clinical informatics, data science, and AI. The contractor will have to contribute its expertise across data analytics platforms and also provide health IT development and EHR integration expertise for custom solutions.

These solutions include synthetic data, machine learning, data platforms and systems integration, internet of things (IoT) and wearables, genomic epidemiology, clinical trial development, and digital twins.

“VHA needs to make data-driven decision-making the norm—creating a culture that encourages critical thinking and curiosity,” VA noted. “To realize the full value of these solutions in an effort to advance clinical care writ large, data-driven decision-making integration in the clinical workflow of proven solutions will need to occur more seamlessly, and rapidly, than ever before. This change and success will ensure VHA can continue to deliver world class care and service for our nation’s Veterans.”

Next, VA requested a clinical simulation training contractor to design, integrate, and further advance current healthcare simulation modules or courses. The agency also requested a second contractor to enhance adoption of emerging technology in clinical care delivery.

“Successful completion of this task will require subject matter expertise in clinical care delivery, healthcare education and training, healthcare simulation, simulation and curriculum design, healthcare informatics as well as research methods for analysis of learning objective and impact,” VA described.

VA also asked for additional information regarding a simulation solution for clinical and system operation. The agency said the contractor should design and implement up to four modules and analysis to optimize its new EHR modernization clinical and operation systems.

“The contractor shall leverage advanced data analytics techniques to connect data to outcomes and better understand how EHT and new simulations can support direct patient and provider care as well as advancing systems operations,” VA explained.

Next, VA requested next-generation clinical education, training, and immersive simulation training to enable the users to get immersed in the learning and experience a real-life learning environment.

Immersive training allows the users to leverage different training scenarios and encounter real-world scenarios both virtually and physically without increasing the cost, VA wrote.

The agency’s final task relates to clinical care delivery and service transformation through design thinking. VA said the contractor must have a deep understanding and ability to develop plans to research plans on how separate systems function and change over time with multiple user groups, the agency said.

Contractors have until May 13, 2021, to respond to the request for information.