Immunization to be part of joint iEHR for DoD, VA

The Tricare Management Authority (TMA) wants details about how industry can build a joint immunization function for the integrated electronic health record (iEHR), which is being developed by the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.

TMA, which manages the military healthcare program, seeks vendor and open source community approaches for a shared system to manage, document and report immunization information for DOD and VA patients,according to an August 3 request for information posted  in Federal Business Opportunities. Responses are due Aug. 17.

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The functionality includes the ability to order immunizations; manage immunization schedules, patient lists and immunization history; document administered immunizations, immunity status and adverse reactions. The system will also be able to track the inventory of vaccine stock from manufacturer to dispensing to the patient.

Integrated with the iEHR, the immunization system will also be able to: 

• Share vaccine data with the patient, legacy VA and DOD EHRs and DOD service readiness systems at facilities that have not established iEHR, and personal health record systems for Tricare Online and My HealtheVet
• Use clinical decision support to identify recommended immunizations and to prevent adverse reactions through data exchange with iEHR
• Send alerts and reminders to provider and/or patient of upcoming immunizations
• Generate template-based and other reports to manage population public health

DOD and VA are committed to converge their independent EHRs through a jointly agreed common set of services, interface and data standards, data centers, presentation layer and information interoperability framework. Future capabilities will rely on shared, common enterprise services.

The departments currently manage immunizations using separate IT systems with separate databases and complex sharing processes.

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“Uniting DOD and VA business processes and capturing immunization documentation in a common system achieves the desired outcome of shared information interoperability to better support force health protection and readiness activities, and ensure the health of all beneficiaries receiving vaccinations,” Tricare said in the notice.

Activity is gearing up to establish the iEHR's early version. The first iEHR version will be ready to turn on in two years at VA and DOD centers in San Antonio, Texas, and Hampton Roads, Va., for pharmacy and immunization.