Alaska VA trains on EHRM, Prepares for Go-Live
By Thomas Shrader, Public Affairs Specialist
The Alaska VA Healthcare System will convert its Electronic Health Record to the Federal Electronic Health Record system on October 24, 2026.
This process is known as Electronic Health Record Modernization or EHRM, and it requires extensive preparation. The first group of Alaska VA staff began intensive virtual Instructor-Led Training (vILT) on May 11, 2026, to get ready. The Instructor-Led (vILT) sessions occurring May 11-22, 2026, focus on training a team of “Super Users” on the new system. Super Users began their role-specific Computer-Based Training (CBT) Talent Management System (TMS) modules back in November 2025 and will have advanced knowledge and experience to share with their coworkers in the future.
Paul R. Lawrence, Ph.D., Deputy Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, explained what a Super User is: “These are specially selected employees who we invest with more training about the system, so they can teach and train users and be there to answer questions. The idea being someone says, ‘I have a question.’ We’ll have a Super User answer so you can continue to give care.”
When a new system is put in place, often productivity goes down at first. The objective of Super Users is to provide EHRM support to VAMC (Veterans Affairs Medical Center) staff thus assisting the facility with getting productivity back up to pre-deployment levels as soon as possible. Having engaged Super Users provides two benefits:
- Improve the staff experience
- Improve care for Veterans
Lawrence said, “And here is where the Super Users will help. The teaching and training and allowing people to use the record. So, the value of Super Users is twofold. One, make sure our staff have a better experience. But two, increase productivity so that we can deliver care to our Veterans.”
Jamie E. Dempsey (RN), a Nurse Informaticist at the Alaska VA Healthcare System, explained: “The CBT TMS courses & Instructor-led EHRM training sessions focus on providing Alaska EHRM Super Users with extensive knowledge of the new Federal Electronic Health Record (EHR) system, including its applications and workflows. The curriculum is designed to give Super Users the depth of knowledge needed to support their peers.”
The goal of the classwork is to form a team that can provide in-person assistance to other staff members when they need it.
“Expected outcomes include developing a cadre of users with advanced knowledge in EHRM applications and workflows, facilitating guided activities, and providing at-the-elbow support to end users within appropriate service lines,” said Dempsey.
Being a Super User is an important responsibility that requires strong communication and leadership skills. The VA leadership selected Super Users with these traits in mind.
“Training attendees include VA staff who have been nominated and selected to serve as EHRM Super Users. Super Users are chosen because of their role as site workflow experts and their ability to provide peer-to-peer support to colleagues during Go-Live activities,” said Dempsey.
To ensure high quality training and a vast depth of knowledge, VHA (Veterans Health Administration) leadership brought in subject matter experts from the company that is providing the software.
“The training is facilitated by Oracle Health trainers — the team behind the new EHR system — ensuring participants receive instruction directly from the system's subject matter experts,” said Dempsey.
The training has been tailored to the individual, with some Super Users participating in additional training courses to gain knowledge necessary to support multiple roles within their service.
“The training runs one to three days per participant, though the overall Super User training window spans up to two weeks, with the number of days varying by role and dependent on specific job responsibilities,” said Dempsey.
Getting the Super Users well trained is vitally important to the success of the whole program because they are the ones who system users will first go to for support.
“This training is a critical step in VA's Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) initiative. Super Users serve as the bridge between the implementation team and frontline VA staff — they're the go-to resource before, during, and after Go-Live. This Super User Training is conducted at approximately T-24 weeks prior to Oracle Health Go-Live. It lays the foundation for all subsequent training including upcoming EHRM Learning Labs, making it one of the most foundational elements of the EHRM rollout,” said Dempsey.
The ultimate beneficiary of all this training and preparation will be the Veteran.
“By building a well-trained cadre of Super Users now, we're ensuring that every VA employee has a knowledgeable peer they can turn to when navigating the new system. Ultimately, a smooth EHR transition means better, safer care for Veterans,” said Dempsey.