VA's Baker kids about new location of NHIN project

Roger Baker, the Veterans Affairs Department's assistant secretary for information and technology, is usually helpful to reporters on his monthly conference call about IT-related security incidents and other topics, but sometimes he keeps them guessing.

On the Oct. 14 call, the conversation turned to a possible fifth location for the ongoing VA partnership with the Health and Human Services Department's Nationwide Health Information Network to share patient information between VA and private medical facilities. The program is ongoing in San Diego and Hampton Roads, Va.

Baker hinted that another location might be announced soon, but when he was asked where it might be, he offered this: "I'm sure it will be in the United States someplace."

Baker was also asked about implementing a new IT application that allows administrators to keep tabs on the hundreds of thousands of computers and devices on VA's network. Baker said the system has been installed and is beginning to churn out data on how many of the computers and devices are secured, how many have the latest security patches, and the like.

"We've put the system into place, and now we are taking it for a walk around the block and seeing what we find," Baker said.