A preliminary federal report claims the Department of Veterans Affairs violated appropriations rules to fund development of five mHealth apps as well as improvements to its IT system.
The VA allegedly misused $51.9 million, a portion of which it used to enhance its Veteran Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA), according to a MeriTalk news article on a preliminary Inspector General (IG) report. Earlier this month, two top House officials wrote in a letter to the Government Accountability Office that they want a government watchdog to review the system.
According to the IG findings, the VA “circumvented IT policy and appropriations law” to use funds designated for specific medical care support and services for a mHealth app strategy launched four years ago. At the time, the VA was facing IT budget constraints, notes the IG report.
The VA spent $36 million for contractor work on the mHealth app effort, according to MeriTalk, and also spent over $5 million for tablets. Two thousand of the devices are in a warehouse due to interoperability issues, MeriTalk adds.
The IG report also offers eight recommendations, according to MeriTalk, several of which are tied directly to mHealth app development, including determining how much funding is needed to support app development.
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