MHS Health IT Directorate Seeks to Standardize, Consolidate Efforts Published Dec. 10, 2014 Health.mil Staff WASHINGTON -- Computers and the networks they're on are important tools for communication. When it comes to a health care setting, those information technology requirements can be even more vital. At this year's Association of Military Surgeons of the United States conference in Washington, D.C., the Military Health System's Chief Information Officer David Bowen spoke in detail about MHS's efforts to standardize, reengineer and consolidate health IT services. "We're going to be looking at how we rationalize our infrastructure, standardize that, how do we use technology to centrally manage it, with an emphasis on cost-effectiveness, better reliability, and more up-time for our users and fewer problems," Bowen said. Bowen is the principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. Jonathan Woodson and to Department of Defense medical leaders on all matters related to information management and information technology. He is also working closely with the Army, Navy and Air Force surgeons general to ensure that the transition to an health IT shared service operating model is well-managed. "Among the benefits for patients we anticipate there will be reduced time spent in hospitals and better clinical outcomes for our war fighters," Bowen told the audience during the session. "The DHA is also responsible for meeting the medical needs of the combat commanders, and HIT is an essential element to fulfilling this mission."