The Veterans Affairs Department has started a pilot to share patient records between the Richmond VA Medical Center and MedVirginia, a central Virginia health information exchange, which expands the virtual lifetime electronic record program. With the VLER program, VA is developing a single electronic system to track the medical, benefits and administrative records of service members from their induction into the military throughout their lives as veterans. The VA selected the Richmond area because it has a high concentration of veterans, military retirees, and members of the Guard and Reserve present in the region, said Eric Shinseki, Veterans Affairs secretary. Seven of 10 veterans receive some portion of their healthcare from private sector hospitals and physicians, VA has said.
