Overview
The Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) is an integrated system of both nationally mandated and locally adapted software applications that directly support patient care at VHA facilities. The electronic health records (EHRs) for VA patients are in the VistA files.
A key component of VistA is the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS). CPRS is a graphical user interface that presents VistA data in an manner that resembles a patient’s paper chart. CPRS enables clinicians to review and enter patient information. It includes modules that support clinical decision making and allow tracking of panels of patients. All VA Medical Centers have been using CPRS since 1997.
VistA Data for Research
VistA data are comprised of individual patient records. Vista is the source data for many VA corporate databases commonly used by researchers, including the National Patient Care Database (NPCD), Decision Support System (DSS), the VA Central Cancer Registry, and the Corporate Data Warehouse (CDW).
For studies that require patient information from the EHR that is not available in national databases, individual records can be viewed directly. Researchers view the EHR through the CPRS, VistAWeb, or the Compensation & Pension Record Interchange (CAPRI) application.
VistA data are extracted to VA Integrated Service Network (VISN) data warehouses. The availability of these data varies by VISN.
Access
The procedure for obtaining authorization to access VistA data is dependent on how the data will be accessed.
| Access Method |
Request Access Through… |
| CPRS |
Facility Automatic Data Processing Application Coordinator (ADPAC) |
| VistAWeb and CAPRI |
Health Information Access (HIA) Office |
| VistA data in national databases |
Request Information available on VIReC's "Data Access & Request Guide" page |
Resources for Researchers
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New! VIReC Resource Guide: VistA describes VistA’s origins, structure, content and utility.
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The VA Software Document Library provides information about VistA software applications.
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Topics covered in the VistA-HealtheVet Monograph include Health Data Systems; Registration, Enrollment, and Eligibility Systems; common services; and Management and Financial Systems
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The Data Architecture Repository is a VA-wide metadata repository available on the VA Intranet. The DAR provides the structure to define and maintain metadata to clarify the structure, meaning, source, business knowledge and governance.
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