Resources / Glossary
Federal Health IT Glossary
Plain-language definitions for the acronyms, frameworks, and programs that run the federal health IT market. Written for contractors, PMs, and anyone tired of guessing what the abbreviation means.
Showing 37 terms
A
Agentic AI-Enabled Cardiovascular Care Transformation
ARPA-H program designed to produce the first FDA-authorized clinical agentic AI. Three Technical Areas: patient-facing CVD agent, disease-agnostic supervisory architecture, and health system integration.
Contractor note: Awards expected June 2026. The TA2...
Federal HealthAdvanced Research Projects Agency for Health
Federal R&D agency funding high-risk, high-reward biomedical and health innovation. Funds through Other Transaction Agreements rather than contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements.
Contractor note: Zeroed in the proposed FY2027 HHS...
Federal HealthAuthority to Operate
The security approval required before deploying any system on a government network. No ATO, no deployment.
Contractor note: Plan 6-18 months for the process....
Cybersecurity★ 42 contractor notes — tactical deadlines, competitive signals, and pursuit implications.
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Community Care Network
The contract vehicle through which VA pays private-sector providers for veteran care. The FY2027 Medical Community Care account is $56.2B (+17%) — about 44% of all VA care delivery.
Contractor note: CCN Next Gen (36C10G26R0003) introduces value-based...
VAChief Information Officer -- Solutions and Partners 3
NITAAC's primary IT GWAC. $40B ceiling. Extended through April 2027 after CIO-SP4 was cancelled February 2026.
Contractor note: If you hold a CIO-SP3 seat,...
ContractingChief Information Officer -- Solutions and Partners 4
NITAAC's planned successor to CIO-SP3. Cancelled February 2026 after years of protests. The cancellation reshuffled the GWAC landscape.
Contractor note: Watch for rebid announcements. Firms that...
ContractingCybersecurity Maturity Model Certification
Third-party cybersecurity certification becoming mandatory for DoD contractors. Level 2 is the new table stakes.
Contractor note: Get certified before the deadlines hit....
CybersecurityD
Regional Healthcare Delivery
DHA's regional management structure replacing individual Service medical commands.
Contractor note: Your regional POCs for implementation and...
Defense HealthDefense Health Agency
Runs military healthcare operations, TRICARE, pharmacy, and health IT for 9.6M beneficiaries.
Contractor note: Your buyer for most DoD health...
Defense HealthDHA Contracting Activity
The contracting arm of DHA. Issues and manages health IT contract vehicles.
Contractor note: DHACA is where your proposals go....
Defense HealthCloud Security Classification
IL2 through IL6 classify what data DoD cloud systems can handle. IL4+ requires dedicated infrastructure.
Contractor note: Know your IL. It determines which...
CybersecurityE
Electronic Health Record Modernization
VA's program to replace VistA with Oracle Health. Lifecycle cost estimates range from $37B to $49B. After Michigan's April 2026 go-live, fewer than one in six VA medical centers will be live.
Contractor note: Congress withheld 30% of FY2026 funding...
VAEHR Modernization Integration Office
VA office managing the Oracle Health EHR deployment.
Contractor note: EHRM-IO runs the deployment program. Know...
VAF
Federal Acquisition Regulation
The primary rule book for government procurement. Applies to all federal contracts.
Contractor note: FAR knowledge is non-negotiable. Focus on...
ContractingFederal Risk and Authorization Management Program
Security certification required for any cloud product serving federal agencies.
Contractor note: FedRAMP authorization is table stakes for...
CybersecurityFederal Electronic Health Record Modernization
Joint office coordinating EHR interoperability between DoD and VA.
Contractor note: FEHRM sets interoperability standards that both...
Defense HealthFast Healthcare Interoperability Resources
The modern healthcare data exchange standard mandated by the 21st Century Cures Act. RESTful APIs.
Contractor note: FHIR R4 support is a requirement...
InteroperabilityG
Government-Wide Acquisition Contract
IT-specific contract vehicles that any federal agency can use. CIO-SP3, SEWP, Alliant 3 are the big ones.
Contractor note: GWAC access opens doors across all...
ContractingH
Health Level Seven Version 2
The legacy healthcare messaging standard. Still dominant in hospital interfaces despite FHIR.
Contractor note: Most existing systems speak HL7 v2....
InteroperabilityI
Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity
Contract type with no guaranteed minimum. Government orders work via task orders over the contract period.
Contractor note: Most federal health IT is bought...
Contracting21st Century Cures Act Provision
Federal prohibition on practices that unreasonably limit health information exchange. Applies to health IT developers.
Contractor note: Your software cannot restrict data sharing...
InteroperabilityJ
Joint Longitudinal Viewer
Read-only viewer that bridges DoD and VA patient records for continuity of care.
Contractor note: JLV integration is a common requirement...
Defense HealthM
Military Health System
The entire DoD healthcare enterprise: MTFs, TRICARE, dental, pharmacy, and all supporting IT systems.
Contractor note: Understanding MHS structure tells you where...
Defense HealthMHS Enterprise IT Services
DHA's umbrella contract for enterprise IT infrastructure and managed services.
Contractor note: MHS EITS covers network, compute, and...
ContractingDoD Electronic Health Record
The single largest health IT deployment in federal history. Built on Oracle Health (Cerner), now live at 130+ facilities.
Contractor note: Integration, training, and sustainment opportunities surround...
Defense HealthMedical Quality Systems Services Next Generation
DHA contract vehicle for medical quality, patient safety, and clinical decision support IT.
Contractor note: Niche but well-funded. Medical quality IT...
ContractingMilitary Treatment Facility
Hospitals and clinics on military installations. Each runs MHS GENESIS.
Contractor note: MTFs are where your technology gets...
Defense HealthN
Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information
110 security controls required for handling CUI in non-federal systems. CMMC is built on this.
Contractor note: If you handle CUI (most health...
CybersecurityO
One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services Plus
GSA's multi-agency professional services contract. Covers IT, management consulting, and more.
Contractor note: OASIS+ is the primary path for...
ContractingCommercial EHR Platform
The commercial platform (formerly Cerner Millennium) underlying both MHS GENESIS and VA EHRM.
Contractor note: Oracle Health sets the platform constraints...
VAP
Program Executive Office, Defense Healthcare Management Systems
Now called OPMED. DoD's lead office for medical IT development and acquisition.
Contractor note: This is the acquisition authority for...
Defense HealthR
Risk Management Framework
NIST's structured approach to security assessment: categorize, select, implement, assess, authorize, monitor.
Contractor note: RMF is the process that gets...
CybersecurityS
System for Award Management
The federal government's official system for entity registration, contract opportunities, and award data.
Contractor note: You cannot win a federal contract...
ContractingSubstitutable Medical Applications, Reusable Technologies
App launch and authorization framework built on FHIR. Enables third-party apps on EHR platforms.
Contractor note: SMART on FHIR is how you...
InteroperabilityT
Transformation Twenty-One Total Technology Next Generation
VA's primary IT services IDIQ. $22.3B ceiling. Managed by VA TAC.
Contractor note: T4NG is how VA buys most...
ContractingTrusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement
The national infrastructure for health data exchange. Connects all major health networks.
Contractor note: TEFCA compliance is increasingly required. Understand...
InteroperabilityMilitary Health Insurance
Health insurance for 9.6M service members, retirees, and families. Managed by DHA.
Contractor note: TRICARE IT systems (claims, enrollment, referrals)...
Defense HealthU
United States Core Data for Interoperability
The standardized set of health data classes systems must exchange. Updated annually by ONC.
Contractor note: USCDI defines the minimum data your...
InteroperabilityV
VA EHR Modernization
VA's program to replace VistA with Oracle Health (same platform as MHS GENESIS). Michigan four-site go-live in April 2026 — first multi-site simultaneous deployment in program history.
Contractor note: Congress withheld $1.02B pending June 1,...
VAValue-Based Payments
Payment models that tie reimbursement to outcomes instead of services rendered. Enter VA community care for the first time under CCN Next Gen.
Contractor note: Future VBP model designs will be...
VAVeterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture
VA's legacy EHR built in-house since the 1970s. Still running at most VA facilities.
Contractor note: VistA sustainment, migration, and modernization are...
VAZ
Security Model
DoD's mandated security architecture. Never trust, always verify. Continuous authentication and authorization.
Contractor note: Every new DoD IT system must...
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