SEATTLE — Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) Paul Lawrence visited Seattle Wednesday to tout a new electronic medical records system that is rolling out at VA Medical Centers across America.
He also confirmed that the VA does not have a hiring freeze in place and is actively bringing on new staff to serve veterans at VA hospitals, including in Seattle.
The Puget Sound Healthcare facility of the VA Medical system serves approximately 160,000 veterans annually from across our greater region, including patients from Washington, Alaska, Oregon, and Idaho.
Addressing questions about staffing situations, Lawrence reiterated the agency’s commitment to maintaining staff levels and veteran support.
“So let’s be very, very clear, we have no hiring freeze and we are hiring,” Lawrence said. He also emphasized that service support will remain intact, stating, “We will not cut benefits; that is our intention.”
Roosevelt Lewis, a veteran who was leaving the VA Hospital Wednesday afternoon, noted administrative difficulties when contacting the hospital.
“You’ve got to jump through a lot of hoops to get through to somebody sometimes,” Lewis said.
Other patients pointed to appointment scheduling delays while praising the facility’s specialized medical care.
Pearl Delacruz, a veteran residing in Seattle, expressed a desire for faster scheduling.
“I would like to see times cut down for appointments,” Delacruz said. However, she commended the medical staff in specific units, adding, “the pain clinic is wonderful here they’re the best doctors.”
To address record-keeping and communication issues, the VA is preparing to launch a unified electronic health record system.
Lawrence explained that the technology will give providers immediate access to a service member’s full medical background.
“We’re going to know what happened to you in military service, so you won’t have to remind us that you hurt your back 20 years ago,” Lawrence said.
According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, modernizing the electronic health record system across the VA is estimated to cost roughly $49.8 billion.
The Seattle VA hospital is scheduled to adopt the new electronic health record system in September 2027.
The nationwide rollout across all VA medical facilities is expected to be completed in 2031, according to Lawrence.
©2026 Cox Media Group
