IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. (WZMQ) -Officials with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs are preparing the Oscar G. Johnson VA medical center for a major technology upgrade.
Deputy VA Secretary Paul R. Lawrence visited Iron Mountain on Wednesday to meet with staff as the facility gets ready to launch a new electronic health record system in January of 2027.
The updated system will replace the decades-old Vista platform and allow Veterans’ medical information to be shared more securely between VA hospitals, the Department of Defense, and community healthcare providers. Leaders say the change will improve access to care and help providers better coordinate treatment for Veterans.
Lawrence says he is in town to make sure the process runs smoothly.
“I’m here today in Iron Mountain today to check in on our team that is getting ready to deploy the new electronic health record. They will go live on January 6, of 2027, but right now, a lot of employment work, the setup, the training, and the getting ready is being done. So I’m here to make sure we’re on schedule,” said Lawrence.
Lawrence also praised the Iron Mountain VA hospital staff for their upkeep of the 75-year-old facility.
