SMS to manage and update the terminology code sets used by the VA enterprise to enhance healthcare services to veterans
SYRACUSE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Systems Made Simple, Inc. (SMS), a leading provider of IT systems and services to support critical architecture, data and application challenges in the healthcare industry, today announced that it has been awarded the Standards and Terminology Services (STS) Support Services contract from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as part of the T4 program. Under the contract, SMS supports the VA in analyzing and preparing updates to standard code sets, and deploying the terminology to end-user systems such as VA medical centers.
Included in the contract are updates using several standard terminology code sets, such as ICD-9 and ICD-10, Common Procedural Terminology (CPT), Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine—Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT) and Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC®), among others. In addition, the SMS team will oversee the maintenance of the VA’s terminology software applications and hardware environments. As a result of the STS contract, the VA will be able to:
- Transition smoothly to a new terminology services vendor while maintaining incumbent knowledge;
- Facilitate clinical decision support, allergy checking and drug-drug interaction examinations for enhanced veteran care; and
- Create and leverage computable patient data for long-term data analysis and health information exchange.
“We’re thrilled to be selected by the VA for this initiative. Our team members were incumbent staff on an existing STS contract, so we feel we have a strong understanding of the project scope as well as the terminology expertise needed for this project,” said Dr. Viet Nguyen, Chief Medical Information Officer at SMS. “This contract expands our footprint within the VA and is at the core of our mission to be a leader in health information technology and health information exchange—ultimately working toward transforming care for our fellow veterans and active military.”
The SMS team for this project includes partners Kforce Government Solutions, Exeter and Hewlett-Packard. The team will begin code updates over the next eight months, with an initial period of performance beginning on September 30, 2012. As needed, the team will finalize conversions by no later than September 30, 2013.
This is SMS’ second win under the T4 program, following an award in August 2011 with the Veterans Service Network Development Services (VETSNET) project, which incorporates the Veterans Business Administration’s primary business application and modernized benefits delivery system for compensation and pension claims. The T4 program encompasses 15 prime contracts between the VA and information technology companies and seven awards for service-disabled Veteran small businesses and Veteran-owned small businesses.
To learn more about SMS and its projects with the VA, visit www.systemsmadesimple.com.
About SMS
Systems Made Simple (SMS) is a service-disabled, veteran-owned business that delivers leading IT solutions to Fortune 500 customers and federal agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, Environmental Protection Agency and General Services Administration. For more than 20 years, SMS has provided program management, integration services, data management, and systems and software engineering that address unique business and operational challenges. Each healthcare IT tool developed by SMS is customized to improve day-to-day business transactions, maximize efficiencies, eliminate risks and reduce costs. To learn more, visit www.systemsmadesimple.com.
CONTACT:
Dodge Communications
Leslie Kirk, 770-576-2576
KEYWORDS: United States North America New York
INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Technology Data Management Software Practice Management Health Hospitals Defense Contracts Other Defense
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