WASHINGTON, D.C. — A groundbreaking transformation in Veteran health care is moving forward. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced early-stage plans to deploy its Federal Electronic Health Record (EHR) system to four facilities in Michigan—Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Detroit, and Saginaw—marking another milestone in its effort to revolutionize care for Veterans nationwide. The rollout is projected to go live in mid-2026, following years of rigorous improvements and strategic recalibration.
This decision follows a nearly two-year pause in EHR deployments, during which the VA hit the reset button to address concerns raised by both Veterans and clinicians. By focusing on refining the system where it’s already operational, the VA has made dramatic strides that have positively impacted trust, performance, and satisfaction—laying a solid foundation for the next phase of deployment.
“We paused deployments of the EHR for more than a year and a half to listen to Veterans and clinicians, understand the issues, and make improvements to the system,” said VA Deputy Secretary Tanya Bradsher. “As a result of those efforts, Veteran trust and system performance have improved across the board. Now, we’re ready to begin planning for new deployments in 2026 — while continuing to improve at all existing sites.”
Learning From the “Reset”
The Federal EHR program aims to unify and modernize health records for America’s Veterans across VA and Department of Defense (DoD) systems, creating a seamless continuum of care. However, ambitious plans can introduce unforeseen challenges—issues with outages, clinician dissatisfaction, and trust gaps threatened to derail the program’s momentum when it first launched.
Rather than forging ahead blindly, the VA took a bold step back in April 2023, hitting pause on future rollouts to devote full attention to improving the system. This “Reset period” was guided by direct feedback from Veterans and medical staff, culminating in hundreds of updates, tougher contract accountability measures for Oracle Health (the program’s vendor), and streamlined issue-resolution processes.
The results of this recalibration have been undeniable.
- Veteran trust skyrocketed across EHR-equipped facilities, with outpatient trust scores hitting new highs. Facilities like the Columbus VA saw an 11.6% trust increase from early 2023, reaching 93%. Similar trust gains were recorded at facilities ranging from Walla Walla to Roseburg.
- System reliability soared, with the EHR functioning 100% of the time in 10 out of the last 16 months. Notably, the system has gone over 200 days without a single outage, a far cry from the initial sputtering start.
- Daily interruptions for clinicians dropped to near zero, reducing delays and ensuring smoother operations for both staff and patients.
- Staff satisfaction climbed steadily, with employees noting improved system availability and the EHR’s enhanced ability to support high-quality care.
Not only were these fixes effective—they set the stage for success at North Chicago VA Medical Center, a joint VA-DoD facility where the EHR was deployed during the Reset period. The achievement showed the VA’s system could power a major facility while achieving strong productivity from the outset.
Why Michigan—and Why Now?
The Michigan deployment marks a critical turning point for the Federal EHR program, signaling the VA’s confidence in the system’s readiness for a wider rollout. Ann Arbor, Detroit, Battle Creek, and Saginaw—home to a large, diverse Veteran population—represent a key frontier for expanding this new standard in health care. The move also reflects growing momentum in the VA’s mission to deliver integrated, cutting-edge care tailored to Veterans’ unique needs.
“VA is ready to begin planning for the next Federal EHR deployments in 2026, while at the same time remaining committed to the continuous improvement efforts that have been our focus for the past 18 months,” said Acting Program Executive Director of the EHRM Integration Office Dr. Neil Evans. “We’re going to keep listening to and learning from Veterans and VA staff every step of the way.”
While the decision to move forward indicates significant progress, the VA isn’t taking its foot off the gas. Improvement efforts at current EHR locations will continue in parallel with Michigan’s planning and pre-deployment activities. This dual-focus approach reflects the VA’s commitment to excellence, even as the program expands to reach more Veterans.
What’s Next for Veteran Care?
The stakes couldn’t be higher. The Federal EHR aims to fix longstanding challenges in Veteran health care by unifying records across a single interoperable system, making it easier for Veterans to transition between VA and DoD facilities.
When successful, this system will eliminate fragmentation, avoid harmful errors, and streamline care coordination. For Veterans living in Michigan, the rollout promises a modernized health care future—one where time-consuming gaps in medical history, confusion over prescriptions, or inconsistent treatment plans become problems of the past.
The significance of this transformation extends far beyond Michigan. With every successful deployment, the Federal EHR demonstrates its potential to redefine health care for millions of Veterans and active-duty military personnel across the nation.
The Road Ahead
The VA’s decision to pause, re-evaluate, and improve before charging ahead reflects its dedication to putting Veterans first. Now, as the Federal EHR enters its next chapter, all eyes are on Michigan to set the tone for future rollouts.
Pre-deployment activities for these Michigan sites are set to begin in the coming weeks, initiating a multi-year effort to ensure a smooth and successful launch in 2026. For Veterans and clinicians alike, the next few years represent both a challenge and an opportunity to shape a health care system that truly works for everyone it serves.
The VA has sent a clear message with this announcement—agility, accountability, and a willingness to listen are cornerstones of its path forward. For Veterans in Michigan and beyond, the countdown to better health care has begun.
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