VistA Power and Reach
VistA has been adapted for use in a variety of environments, from individual practices to clinics to hospitals, to regional healthcare co-ordination between far-flung islands. In addition, VistA has been adopted within similar provider environments worldwide.
VistA can be interfaced with healthcare databases not initially used by the VA system, including billing software, lab databases, and image databases (radiology, for example). VistA implementations have been deployed (or are currently being deployed) in non-VA healthcare facilities across the United States including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Universities, such as UC Davis and Texas Tech have also implemented the systems.
VistA supports both ambulatory and inpatient care utilizing a graphical user interface for clinicians known as the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS). In addition, VistA includes computerized order entry, bar code medication administration, electronic prescribing and clinical guidelines.
CPRS provides a client-server interface that allows health care providers to review and update a patient’s electronic medical record. This includes the ability to place orders, including those for medications, special procedures, X-rays, nursing interventions, diets, and laboratory tests. CPRS provides flexibility in a wide variety of settings so that a consistent, event-driven, Windows-style interface is presented to a broad spectrum of health care workers.
VistA is licensed under the: GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE Version 2, June 1991