Cincinnati VA is among the first sites in a national rollout planned through 2031

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - The Department of Veterans Affairs is expanding access to an electronic health record system that allows veterans to view health information, message providers and manage prescriptions online.

Deputy VA Secretary Paul Lawrence said 13 VA medical centers are expected to go live with the system in 2026, with twice that number planned for 2027. Four more VA medical centers went live June 6 in Ohio, including the Cincinnati VA.

New system launches in Cincinnati

Lawrence was in Cincinnati when the new system went live.

“So we think to deliver world-class health care, we need a great tool like this,” Lawrence said.

The electronic health record system is a digital tool containing veterans’ information from throughout their time with the military.

Lawrence said the previous records system was a source of frustration for veterans and providers.

“Our providers in the VA don’t want to search for information and click and copy and hunt,” Lawrence said. “They want to look face to face with our veterans and talk about their health care.”

VA says feedback is positive

Lawrence said feedback on the new system has been positive so far.

“Very positive in terms of the ability to direct message their provider, to order prescriptions online, to see their information and be comforted knowing that it goes to private sector providers,” Lawrence said.

Lawrence said the rollout was restarted after President Donald Trump and Secretary Collins took office. He said the administration set a plan in early 2025 to launch 13 sites in 2026.

“This is a great tool, the future of medicine, AI and all the different things couldn’t work in our old system,” Lawrence said.

AI part of the rollout

Lawrence said the VA is looking at how artificial intelligence factors into health care while also watching for potential downsides.

“We’re very concerned about AI and some of the downsides, but we’re doing things right now where, for example, when you have a visit afterwards, the provider, the doctor, has to write down, type out a medical record,” Lawrence said. “Now you can do this by talking and AI transcribes it for you. We also know some of the tools will present information to providers faster, so they don’t have to search for stuff.”

The VA plans to have every state using the electronic system by 2031.

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