Readers of Tom Philpott’s Military Update column sound off

Criticism Of Vista Health Record System Unjustified

This responds to a letter from retired Army Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Michael A. Dunn published in the Dec. 5 Military Forum.  As a 24-year user and programmer of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ VistA electronic health record, I would like to state that Dr. Dunn had no basis for statements he made about the system.

Such unfounded criticism is offensive to me as a past builder of the system, as an Enterprise Support Specialist and as a programmer.  VistA has been touted as the best EHR in the nation and possibly in the world.  It has received several outstanding awards.  It is used in 150 VA hospitals and comprises the best computerized patient record system developed to date.  No other program, private or commercial, can stand up to it.

VistA information is available real-time, with no delays even for imaging, and it can interface practically with any type of device to it -- two capabilities that many commercial systems do not have.

I have written some of the VistA modules used nationally so I can personally state, despite Dr. Dunn's accusations, that VistA does use cutting edge technology and can communicate with any other hospital systems via its HL7 (Health Level 7) messaging system.  I have written numerous HL7 applications to communicate “foreign” systems.

Dr. Dunn offers no justification for his remark about “outdated core technology.” VistA has been adapted for use in physician's offices.  Our core packages handle every facet of veteran medical data quickly, easily and efficiently.  It is being adopted across the country by small hospitals that cannot afford to pay many thousands of dollars for a commercial system.  VistA is free and there are directions available on how to implement it.

VistA can handle any size hospital, however, because it is scalable and can go to many terabytes of storage with no processing or response degradation.  No commercial system can say that.  VistA will run on most all platforms and there is even a free operating system to run it.  Again, no commercial system can say that.

VistA is the most up-to-date system because its custodians monitor constant changes made to veterans’ benefits, eligibility rules and legal requirements.  Software changes often are made in one day.  Codes are updated quarterly without any cost to facilities.

If VistA is so outdated, I challenge Dr. Dunn to back up his claims with proof.  I will be surprised if he can defend his comments and describe our current core technology and its purported shortcomings.   VistA is the best EHR in the world.

THOMAS H. MARTIN
VistA Enterprise Support Specialist
Via e-mail

HOLES IN SEVERANCE PAY SHIELD       

Last January you wrote about a severance pay shield enacted by Congress.

“If their disability was incurred in a combat zone, or in combat-related operations,” you wrote, “military disability severance pay no longer will have to be recouped by the government before the veteran begins to draw full disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs.”

But, you explained, lawmakers only made the change effective only for combat-related medical separations that occurred after the bill was signed (Jan. 28, 2008).

Having a son who was injured by an explosive, I recently read the column and realized that not applying this change retroactively to combat-injured veterans before the bill’s enactment doesn’t make sense.

I understand the argument that it was better to make the change with a cap on effective date than to not approve it, because once it was approved, there is the possibility to lobby to make it retroactive.

My question is this: If the government can come up with money to bail out the automobile industry, why not money for our service members?  And where did they get money for the bailout?  If they gave it to service members, would that have given the economy a boost?

Rather than put the money in mayonnaise jars in the back yard, these veterans would be paying off loans, buying houses and, yes, buying cars.  That looks like a win-win to me: service members would get what they deserve; the government would get a nod of approval and the economy would get a boost.

WENDY B. DAILEY
Fort Campbell, Ky.

STILL SHORTED ON RETIRED PAY

As a military retiree I feel I am getting robbed when it comes to my disability.

Our disability compensation is a percentage of our retirement check that will not be taxed. But if a person did not retire they receive a check for whatever the percentage is.

Why are we not receiving a separate check for disability like non-retirees? Why do we forfeit part of our retirement for our disability? It does not seem fair.

B. J. SANDERS
Master Sergeant, Ret.
Missouri City, Texas

Letters may be edited for clarity or length.  Write to Military Forum, P.O. Box 231111, Centreville, VA  20120-1111, send e-mail to militaryforum@aol.com or visit www.militaryupdate.com.