Item 283 (C 1-3) of the Appropriations Act directs that the:

C.1. The Secretary of Health and Human Resources, in collaboration with the Secretary of Administration and the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, shall convene an interagency workgroup to oversee the development of a statewide integrated electronic health record (EHR) system. The workgroup shall include the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS), the Virginia Department of Health, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Planning and Budget, staff of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees, and other agencies as deemed appropriate by the respective Secretaries. The purpose of the workgroup shall be to evaluate common business requirements for electronic health records to ensure consistency and interoperability with other partner state and local agencies and public and private health care entities to the extent allowed by federal and state law and regulations. The goal of the workgroup is to develop an integrated EHR which may be shared as appropriate with other partner state and local agencies and public and private health care entities. The workgroup shall evaluate the DBHDS statement of work developed for its EHR system and the DBHDS platform for potential adaption and/or use by state agencies in order to develop an integrated statewide EHR.

2. The workgroup may consider and evaluate other EHR systems that may be more appropriate to meet specific agency needs and evaluate the cost-effectiveness of pursing a separate EHR system as compared to a statewide integrated EHR. However, the workgroup shall ensure that standards are developed to ensure that EHRs can be shared as appropriate with public and private partner agencies and health care entities.

3. The workgroup shall also develop an implementation timeline, cost estimates, and assess other issues that may need to be addressed in order to implement an integrated statewide EHR system. The timeline and cost estimates shall be used by the respective agencies to coordinate implementation. The workgroup shall report on its activities and any recommendations to the Joint Subcommittee on Health and Human Resources Oversight by November 1 of each year.