Transforming Hospital Surveillance: How DSS Enables VA to Respond Faster and Safer

As the Department of Veterans Affairs continues to prioritize safety, quality, and high reliability care, medical centers still face challenges tied to manual surveillance processes, delayed data visibility, and inconsistent antimicrobial stewardship practices. These gaps not only impact patient outcomes but also strain staff and increase the risk of preventable infections. 

TheraDoc, a web-based clinical decision support solution from DSS, is helping VA teams overcome these challenges. Already in use in VA Medical Centers across multiple VISNs, this VistA/CPRS-integrated tool provides real-time patient surveillance, early warning alerts, and streamlined workflows for clinical pharmacy, infection prevention, and antimicrobial stewardship programs.  

Improving Patient Safety with Real-Time Surveillance 

TheraDoc enhances patient safety by enabling timely identification of care risks. The solution monitors live patient data and surfaces alerts for clinical teams when immediate intervention may be required. This is particularly critical in cases of communicable infections, which can lead to hospital-wide transmission if not detected early. 

TheraDoc empowers clinicians to respond faster and more effectively, helping prevent hospital-acquired infections that contribute to prolonged admissions and readmissions. With this tool, VA teams can act on the right data at the right time, supporting safer outcomes across the board. 

Streamlining Clinical Decision-Making and Standardizing Workflows 

Efficiency is a central focus of TheraDoc. The system consolidates data into a single, accessible view and stratifies patient information based on events, lab results, and condition changes. This helps clinical teams make faster, evidence-based decisions without combing through multiple systems or paper records.  

By providing customizable surveillance tools across pharmacy, infection control, and antimicrobial stewardship, TheraDoc facilitates daily tracking, documentation, and follow-up in a standardized, repeatable way. Teams can clearly see which items are “pending” or “completed,” ensuring no critical task is overlooked. 

Strengthening Antimicrobial Stewardship and Resource Allocation 

TheraDoc supports antibiotic stewardship efforts by helping pharmacists monitor labs and identify candidates for medication changes. These capabilities not only reduce patient risk but also contribute to financial efficiency by guiding appropriate medication use and avoiding unnecessary treatments. 

The solution’s ability to pinpoint patients for intervention helps VA facilities focus resources where they are needed most, improving care quality while preserving clinical bandwidth.  

Supporting High Reliability Through Efficiency and Integration 

Aligned with the VA’s journey toward becoming a High Reliability Organization (HRO), TheraDoc advances key safety principles through consistent processes, early detection, and shared visibility. Its ability to integrate with VistA ensures bi-directional data flow without disrupting existing systems or workflows. 

TheraDoc also supports continuity during future EHR transitions, with the potential to integrate with Oracle Health and maintain visibility throughout the change. This future-ready flexibility ensures that gains in safety and efficiency are not lost with system evolution. 

Empowering VA to Deliver Safer, More Efficient Care 

By bringing together surveillance, workflow standardization, and clinical decision support in a single solution, TheraDoc empowers the VA to reduce infection risks, improve patient outcomes, and streamline interdisciplinary collaboration. 

With measurable gains in cost avoidance, care quality, and operational consistency, TheraDoc delivers real value at every level by helping VA facilities improve how they work while enhancing the care Veterans receive. 

To learn more about how TheraDoc can support your facility’s infection prevention and pharmacy programs, contact DSS today.