title: Strategies from a nationwide health information technology implementation: the VA CART story.
abstract: The VA Cardiovascular Assessment, Reporting, and Tracking (CART) system is a customized electronic medical record system which provides standardized report generation for cardiac catheterization procedures, serves as a national data repository, and is the centerpiece of a national quality improvement program. Like many health information technology projects, CART implementation did not proceed without some barriers and resistance. We describe the nationwide implementation of CART at the 77 VA hospitals which perform cardiac catheterizations in three phases: (1) strategic collaborations; (2) installation; and (3) adoption. Throughout implementation, success required a careful balance of technical, clinical, and organizational factors. We offer strategies developed through CART implementation which are broadly applicable to technology projects aimed at improving the quality, reliability, and efficiency of health care.
authors.affiliation: VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Cardiovascular Outcomes Research, 1055 Clermont Street, Denver, CO 80220, USA. tamara.box@va.gov
authors.forename: Tamára L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Box
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McDonell
authors.forename: Christian D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Helfrich
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Jesse
authors.forename: Stephan D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Fihn
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Rumsfeld
mesh_terms: D020811:Biomedical Technology / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006284:Health Plan Implementation / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D006751:Hospital Information Systems / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards