Modernization

Tech experts say federal government needs more AI leadership positions at agencies

Federal agencies are lacking critical points of contact for the government to coordinate on responsible oversight and use of artificial intelligence tools, experts said Tuesday. 

Modernization

VA puts Oracle Cerner on a short leash in $10B health records contract

The agency extended the contract for its EHR provider by one year, and put performance conditions in place.

Modernization

2 Agencies Still Behind on Years-Old Legacy IT Recommendations, Watchdog Finds 

Despite some agencies making significant progress, the Transportation Department and the Office of Personnel Management have not fully implemented the watchdog’s prior recommendations.

Modernization

House Lawmakers Lambast EHR Rollout Over Pharmacy Problems

Both witnesses and lawmakers agreed that the Oracle Cerner EHR system at its current state is not satisfactory—but disagreed over how to fix it.

Modernization

Lawmakers tackle VA pharmacy tech woes at hearing

The new commercial health record in use at five sites requires time-consuming workarounds that are taxing resources and depleting morale.

Modernization

FCW Insider Chat: Cyber and Tech Policy

Technology Modernization Fund Executive Director Raylene Yung and Christian Hoehner of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee join the podcast to talk TMF, FedRamp Authorization and more.

Modernization

GSA Pilots New Platform for Multiple Award Schedule Contractors

The new platform will make it easier for contractors to update their catalogs on the agency’s central purchasing website and will eventually replace the Schedule Input Program.

Modernization

Accelerated FAA modernization will suffer under stopgap funding, says agency head

A full year continuing resolution would hamper needed tech upgrades, according to the FAA's top official.

Modernization

House Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Reform VA’s EHR Program

The bipartisan proposal would require VA to prioritize system improvements at the five medical facilities currently using the new software before deploying it at any additional sites.

Modernization

VA Pauses Future EHR Deployments Under ‘Larger Program Reset’

The Department of Veterans Affairs said it plans to delay future rollouts of the new EHR system until it is confident that the software “is highly functioning at current sites and ready to deliver for veterans and VA clinicians at future sites.”

Modernization

House Lawmakers Coalesce Around Bipartisan Fixes to VA’s EHR System

The top Democrat and Republican on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee have started bipartisan negotiations to address the Department of Veterans Affairs’ troubled rollout of its new electronic health record system.

Modernization

Congress's Competing Proposals to Fix VA's Ailing EHR Program

Top lawmakers tasked with overseeing the Department of Veterans Affairs have introduced competing bills to enhance oversight of VA’s new electronic health record system.

Modernization

Taxpayer data at risk due to cybersecurity deficiencies at IRS, report warns

An annual assessment of the IRS' information technology program alleges critical cybersecurity deficiencies in the agency's handling of taxpayer data privacy.

Digital Government

Space Force Has a Major Satellite Oversight Problem, GAO Says

The government’s network of land-based satellite antennas is facing growing usage demands, but Space Force has not updated the system’s support operations plan since it took over control of the program in 2019.

Modernization

DOD’s IT Modernization Efforts Need Data Analytics, Workforce Upskilling

The latest report from the Government Accountability underscores Defense’s ongoing need to leverage resources, personnel, and performance markers to successfully modernize its IT infrastructure.

Modernization

VHA's $8.5M Emergency Comms System Largely Inoperable, OIG Finds

An audit conducted by VA’s Office of Inspector General found that an estimated 80% of the emergency communications systems deployed at 184 VA medical facilities are “not fully operational.”

Modernization

Treasury Seeks Automated Software Testing and Lifecycle Management Tools

The agency is looking to move away from manual testing and instead use automated testing for reusable scripts and to track tests.

Modernization

VA Again Delays Rollout of New Electronic Health Record System

The Department of Veterans Affairs, which announced last October it was pausing rollouts of its new EHR system until June 2023, said it “is not yet ready” to move forward with the software’s scheduled deployment at the VA Saginaw Healthcare System.

Modernization

OMB failing to set cross-agency IT management goals, report says

Administration officials disputed some of GAO's conclusions, noting that IT goals were embedded in other management agenda targets.

Modernization

IRS system doesn’t meet all cloud security requirements, watchdog says

The tax agency did not meet requirements like malicious code protection and timely risk mitigation, the department's internal watchdog reported.