VA Deputy Secretary Visits Northern Indiana as Part of FEHRM Go-Live
By Scott Leas, Public Affairs Officer
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Aug. 21, 2026) -- The VA Northern Indiana Health Care System welcomed a distinguished guest this week as the Department of Veterans Affairs prepared to launch a new era in patient care with the Go-Live of its Federal Electronic Health Record.
VA Deputy Secretary Paul R. Lawrence, PhD, visited the Marion and Fort Wayne VA Medical Centers Aug. 20-21, meeting with VANIHCS senior leaders, the change leadership team, and front-line staff to recognize their dedication and discuss the impact of the transition to the new electronic health record platform. Lawrence’s visit underscored the significance of the Indiana market’s Go-Live milestone, part of a nationwide implementation designed to improve both Veterans’ experiences and provider access to information.
“I’m thrilled to be here with you in Indiana for this historic Go-Live,” said Lawrence. “The energy, teamwork, and commitment I’ve seen among the staff here at VA Northern Indiana is truly inspiring. This is a tremendous step forward for Veterans’ care, and it’s possible because of your dedication.”
During his two-day tour, Lawrence met with staff at the Marion VA Medical Center, visiting the EHRM Incident Command Center, outpatient mental health clinic, and Eagle’s Wing Community Living Center. He concluded his Marion visit by joining a Go-Live celebration in the medical center’s atrium, where he applauded team members’ tireless preparations.
That evening, Lawrence participated in a Veteran Roundtable at VFW Post 857 in Fort Wayne. Veterans shared their concerns and hopes regarding the transition, while Lawrence and leaders from the Veterans Health Administration, the Veterans Benefits Administration, and local organizations addressed questions about the system’s features and advantages.
“It’s a great new system that will help serve you better since you will no longer have to worry about access to your records when traveling to other parts of the country,” Lawrence explained to attendees. “Someday your records will be there waiting for you at other VAs, wherever you might go.”
On the morning of Aug. 21, Lawrence appeared live on Fort Wayne’s 21 Alive television morning show, where he described the benefits Veterans will experience as VA modernizes its health care technology. “We have the best doctors with us, now we will have the best tools to use with all the information to provide even better care,” he said.
“This new electronic health records system is the tool the private sector is using,” Lawrence added. “Now the VA is using it. We're going to be able to adopt the latest AI and robotics that help our staff do better. It’s also contributing to our research progress…having all the information at our fingertips allows us to find new ways to serve Veterans even better. It’s quite exciting.”
Reflecting on his recent and prior visits, Lawrence emphasized the transformation he has observed in the local culture. “When I first came here several months back, everyone was not very excited about the impending records management system transition,” he noted. “I have seen a great change in not only the positivity of staff, but also the excitement for the future and how this new system is going to have a tremendous impact on staff and their ability to provide even better care for Veterans.”
Even at this late date, field experts are identifying how to make the transition as seamless as possible, and explained to Lawrence a few of the many challenges they are currently facing and how they are overcoming.
EHRM Change Lead Karla Heflin explained to Lawrence one such case.
“The Prosthetic and Sensory Aid Service end users operate across both Powerchart and the VistA System, we recognize that current deployment training does not adequately address the changes between Powerchart and VistA. The transition of data from Powerchart represents a significant shift for PSAS end users,” according to Heflin.
“To bridge this gap, our team of subject matter experts hosts a workflow series to refresh the education provided by Oracle, supplement it with PSAS- and VHA-specific language and experience, and review what the VistA interface will look like for end users in the CPRS legacy system,” said Heflin. “As a result, purchasing agents, prosthetic representatives, and inventory supply staff will encounter new workflows and screens. We aim to ensure that, before go-live, all affected staff understand these changes.”
VANIHCS Executive Director Jon Beidelschies praised the collaborative effort that has driven the successful roll-out.
“I am incredibly proud of the dedication, flexibility, and teamwork our staff have demonstrated during this transition. Their engagement and willingness to adapt have been essential to our success and will continue to benefit the Veterans we serve,” he said, emphasizing the importance of staff engagement and adaptability throughout the transition.
The VA Northern Indiana Health Care System’s successful Go-Live marks a major step toward a fully integrated, secure, and mobile digital health record—the new foundation for Veterans’ lifelong care.