The VistA 4 Product Roadmap outlines how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), under the direction of the VistA Evolution Program, will build upon the previous success and institutional knowledge investment in Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) Electronic Health Record (EHR). The evolution of VA�s existing EHR product will be known as VistA 4. The updated VA EHR system will be interoperable with the EHR systems of the Department of Defense (DoD) and other healthcare partners to enhance patient-centered, team- and evidence-based care by giving healthcare providers a complete picture of a patient�s care and treatment history.

The National Item File (NIF) is used to uniquely identify products used in the supply chain. The Universal Product Number is placed as a bar code on products to enable users of the products to readily identify the product's characteristics.

VA's Managerial Cost Accounting System is the designated Managerial Cost Accounting (MCA) System of the Department of Veterans Affairs. This system is the Department's only means of complying with Public Laws (e.g., PL 101-576 - the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990) that mandate the use of a MCA system that can assign costs to the product level. MCA cost data is used at all levels of the VA for important functions, such as cost recovery (billing), budgeting and resource allocation. Additionally, the system contains a rich repository of clinical information which is used to promote a more proactive approach to the care of high risk (i.e., diabetes and acute coronary patients) and high cost patients. The data in MCA is also used to calculate and measure the productivity of physicians and other care providers.