Government leader has an article with much praise for the Veterans Affairs VistA EMR and its grass roots approach to software: ‘…Destination VistA. The VA program �is a model for modern health management,� said Stephen Shortell, dean of the School of Public Health at the University of California at Berkeley. �It is where the rest of the U.S health system needs to go in terms of widespread use of electronic information technology.�

VA credits VistA with helping it achieve a number of goals, including lower costs, better care, fewer errors, fewer hospitalizations, and promotion of preventive care. Patients� waiting times have declined, and access to care has increased because of online availability of health information…’