The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has had automated data processing systems within its medical facilities since before 1985, beginning with the Decentralized Hospital Computer Program information system, including extensive clinical and administrative capabilities. The Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) supports both ambulatory and inpatient care. VistA includes several significant enhancements to the original DHCP system. The most significant is a graphical user interface known as the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) for clinicians released in 1997. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet department of the United States government responsible for administering programs of veterans benefits for veterans, their families, and survivors. ... A graphical user interface (or GUI, sometimes pronounced gooey) is a method of interacting with a computer through a metaphor of direct manipulation of graphical images and widgets in addition to text. ...

CPRS provides a client-server interface for health care providers to review and update a patient’s electronic medical record. This includes the ability to place orders, including medications, special procedures, x-rays, patient care nursing orders, diets, and laboratory tests. CPRS is flexible enough to be implemented in a wide variety of settings for a broad spectrum of health care workers and provides a consistent, event-driven, Windows-style interface. Client/Server is a network application architecture which separates the client (usually the graphical user interface) from the server. ...

The VistA system is public domain software, available through the Freedom Of Information Act, on the VA website. The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ... The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is the implementation of freedom of information legislation in the United States. ...

See also: MUMPS