The military is a major innovator in many areas. The group is credited with popularizing radio communication, making air travel practical and even proliferating the use of Velcro. Now, some healthcare experts believe that they will have a similar affect effect on the use of electronic health records technology.
The Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense recently announced that they are getting close to an agreement that would create one of the world's largest health information networks, according to NextGov.
The network would cover nearly 16 million current and former U.S. soldiers. Officials said that the system would have many benefits for both troops and taxpayers. A coordinated system used by branches of the military and the VA could help soldiers ease back into civilian life, while scrapping paper records could result in dramatic cost saving.
However, there is still some work to be done. Representative David Roe said that the two departments have spent the better part of the last decade developing their own systems and that these would have to be reconciled in order for the unified system to take off, according to the news source.
If the health information network is successful, it could lead to benefits for civilian patients as well. Many innovations that started in the military trickled their way out to the general population. If the same happens with electronic health records, it could give the industry a major boost.