Electronic Health Record Modernization
Cincinnati VA Medical Center and its associated clinics will transition to a new electronic health record (EHR), called the Federal EHR, in June 2026. This is the same system that the Department of Defense (DoD) uses, and among other benefits, it will better support service members as they transition from military service to Veteran status. Learn more about how it will better support Veterans.
What do Veterans need to know?
You can prepare for the transition to the Federal EHR by ensuring your information, including communications preferences and contact information, is updated in your VA profile at VA.gov. Sign in to your VA profile using your Login.gov or ID.me account to confirm your information is accurate before the Federal EHR launches at your facility.
Legal name changes should be reported to your VA facility alongside a copy of your current photo ID. Learn more at How to change your legal name on file with VA.
If you receive pay from DoD and have changed your legal name, you must also update your information in your DoD personnel record for those changes to appear in DEERS and the Federal EHR. For more information on making DoD updates, visit How do I change my name in my DEERS record?
Learn about other things you can do to prepare for the transition to the Federal EHR.
If you have questions, you can also call the DMDC at 800-538-9552 (TTY: 866-363-2883), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET (closed on federal holidays). Additional information can be found here: How Do I Change My Name In My DEERS Record? | Veterans Affairs (va.gov).
Updating your Legal Name with VA
To update your legal name with VA for health care, you will need to mail or deliver documents to the Eligibility Office at your local VA medical center. Please note that you will also need to provide confirmation on any name changes with each VA program office that you receive direct benefit payments from, including disability, education and training, home loans or housing assistance, life insurance and pension.
You can find detailed instructions on changing your name here: How To Change Your Legal Name On File With VA | Veterans Affairs. You can also call the Cincinnati VA eligibility department at
What is an Electronic Health Record?
An electronic health record, or EHR, is a technology that health care teams use to store and track patient information. It is a digital version of a patient’s chart and health record. Health care teams, including medical staff and schedulers, access the chart with a computer instead of on paper. Modern EHRs use a secure internet connection to make patient information accessible to any provider who is treating the patient, regardless of the facility the patient visits.
What is EHR Modernization?
VA’s legacy EHR system, the Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture and Computerized Patient Record System (VistA/CPRS), has been in use since the 1980s and operates differently at every VA facility. Because of this, VistA/CPRS at one facility does not always easily talk to VistA/CPRS at another facility, and it also cannot easily talk to the new Federal EHR that DoD uses. VA is transitioning each VA medical center from VistA/CPRS to the standardized Federal EHR system, which can securely and effectively share information between VA, DoD, other federal agencies, and participating community care providers. Veterans deserve an EHR integrated across all VA and DoD components, which is exactly what VA will deliver with the Federal EHR.
What is not changing for Veterans?
You will continue to use the My HealtheVet patient portal on VA.gov, where you can manage your health care in the same place you manage your other VA benefits and services. Learn more about My HealtheVet on VA.gov.