VISTA : Veterans Health Information

Systems and Technology Architecture

By : Dr. Saurabh Ladha
 What is Vista?

The Veterans Health Information Systems and

Technology Architecture (VistA) is an enterprise-wide 
information system built around an Electronic Health Record 
(EHR), used throughout the United States Department of 
Veteran Affairs (VA) medical system, known as the Veteran 
Health Administration (VHA). 
 What is Vista?

VistA supports both ambulatory and inpatient 
care, and includes several significant 
enhancements to the original DHCP system

It's a collection of about 100 integrated 
software modules
 Experts Says:

“ Best I have seen. It provide

better patient safety and
quality of treatment. Every one
can access the same chart at
same time”

Kelly Hoyle
M.D.
 Experts Says:

“Quick Access you can

access from hospital or
home and can quickly make
decision”

Divya Shroff
MD
Achievements
 Achievements :

Nationally Recognized
Rated Best by Institute of Medicine
Random Study (Annals of Internal Medicine) says – “VHA 
patients receive higher quality treatment overall as well as 
chronic disease and preventive care.”
The adoption of VistA has allowed the VA to achieve a 
pharmacy prescription accuracy rate of 99.997%

* VHA (Veteran Health Administration) is using VISTA as

Health Information Management System
 Benefits

The VistA electronic medical records system is 
estimated to improve efficiency by 6% per year,
Monthly cost of the EHR is offset by eliminating the 
cost of even a few unnecessary tests or 
admissions.
 Features

CPRS – Computerized Patient Record 
System
VistA Imaging
BCMA – Bar Code Medical Administration
MyHealtheVet – Veteran web based portal
Clinical reminder and Patient Alert
Home tele
CPRS
 CPRS
Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) was released 
in 1997.
It provide an automated environment that supports daily 
clinical , administrative activity from registration to eligibility 
to enrolment
Allows Electronic Patient Record.
A client server interface that allows health care providers to 
review and update a patient's electronic medical record. 
 CPRS

Ability to place orders  •Medication,
•Special Procedure

•Diets

•Nursing intervention

•X- rays

•Lab Test

CPRS provides flexibility in a wide variety of settings so 
that a consistent, event-driven, window-style interface is 
presented to a broad spectrum of health care workers.
Experts Says:

“ Paper records are often

missing but here you can find
them in a click”
 VISTA
Imaging
 VistA Imaging

The Veterans Administration has also developed VistA Imaging, a coordinated system 
for communicating with PACS(radiology imaging) systems and for integrating others 
types of image-based information into the VistA electronic medical records system.
 
This type of integration of information into a medical record is critical to efficient 
utilization.
 Vista Imaging

Doctor can directly reference and review high 
resolution images and graphical results
Multimedia display seamless integration with 
medical charts, images (X-ray, scanned 
documents, endoscopy and cardiology exam 
results)
Experts Says:

“ Very quickly we can send

images all over the hospital
thus improves patient care”
BCMA – Bar Code Medical
Administration
 BCMA

It uses Bar code technology on all 
medication and patient wrist bands so that 
each patient receive right medication in right 
dose at right time
It Ensure patient safety by increasing 
accuracy and efficiency of medication 
delivery
 BCMA
Click to edit Master text styles
Second level
● Third level

● Fourth level

● Fifth level

Vista matches medication prescribed with EHR of

patient If not matched or any allergy etc, then it shows
alert message.
MyHealtheVet
 MyHealtheVet

It’s a web based portal
MyHealtheVet is another initiative that allows 
veterans to access, and create a copy of, 
their health records online. 
 MyHealtheVet

Veteran can track medical data and 
prescription by help on online personal 
health record
It gives veterans information and tool to 
improve health.
Lab and Test
Patient can look at  results,
Appointments,
Medication etc.
 MyHealtheVet

It also provide one stop shopping for VA 
benefits, special programmes, health 
information and services
It also allows veterans to port their health 
records to institutions outside the VA health 
system or keep a personal copy of their 
health records.
Experts Says:

“ Apart from all other benefits

most importantly it gives
information regarding what
health prevention are
important for them”
Clinical reminder
and patient alert
 Clinical reminder and Patient
Alert
It’s a feature in CPRS which indicates if any 
test, medication or investigation is due.
It also indicate any scheduled appointment.
Experts Says:

“ Any report if due or result if

say its abnormal than it will be
flagged to provider and alert
them”
Home tele
 Home Tele

This feature allows doctor to monitor patient 
in their home.
Patients are linked to Vista framework 
facilitating better interaction between patient 
and doctor even in remote areas
Home Tele

Click to edit Master text styles

Second level
● Third level

● Fourth level

● Fifth level
Conclusion
Patient Says:

“ It is wonderful that every

thing is on hand, things are
monitored and wonderfully
taken care of”
 Conclusion

Vista demonstrate VA’s innovation and 
leadership in using technology to 
improve outcomes by providing safe 
effective, efficient patient centered care.
 Thanks

© copy right all right reserved Dr.Saurabh Ladha