Modernizing an electronic health record system is one of the most complex undertakings in federal health care. It’s not just a technology project. It’s a transformation of how care is delivered, how data flows, how clinicians work and how agencies demonstrate accountability to the people they serve.
The stakes are high and the margin for error is real. When providers have to wrestle with technology problems, their attention is pulled away from patients. When governance is unclear, issues pile up and deployment stalls. When communications are inconsistent, adoption suffers and progress unravels.
Aptive has been in the middle of this work at the highest levels of federal health IT, supporting VA’s Electronic Health Record Modernization effort across one of the most complex health system transformations in government history. We know what it takes to move these programs forward, from implementation and optimization to go-live readiness, change enablement and sustained adoption.
Our approach is built around execution. We bring the operational discipline, analytical rigor and human-centered focus to ensure that EHR modernization delivers measurable value, not just a system change. We work shoulder to shoulder with agency teams to strengthen governance, resolve issues before they become crises, drive clinical workflow adoption and keep modernization momentum moving even as priorities and dependencies shift.
We support the full EHR lifecycle, from initial deployment planning through optimization and long-term sustainment, ensuring systems perform as intended, deliver clinical value and continue to improve over time.
We prepare clinicians, administrators and frontline staff to work effectively in new EHR environments, using change management frameworks, role-based training and practical “use it tomorrow” guidance that accelerates adoption and reduces disruption to patient care.
We build the data pipelines, integration frameworks and standards-compliant architectures (including HL7 and FHIR) that allow health systems to share and trust their data across federal partners, community care networks and external care systems.
We manage the critical go-live phase with structured readiness assessments, targeted training strategies and change management support that prepares sites to transition confidently without sacrificing care quality or operational stability.
EHR modernization programs operate in conditions where change is constant and the cost of getting it wrong is measured in patient safety and mission readiness.
That’s why our approach is built on three foundations.
Operational Discipline
We use structured governance models, tiered issue management frameworks and agile delivery practices to keep complex programs moving, ensure issues are resolved at the right level and give leadership the visibility they need to make informed decisions quickly.
Data-Driven Insight
We build dashboards, reporting tools and analytics capabilities that replace manual, siloed processes with real-time visibility. At VA, this approach cut reporting times by more than 70%, freeing staff to act on insights rather than compile data.
People-Centered Change
Technology alone doesn’t drive adoption. We develop strategic communications campaigns and training programs that meet people where they are, reduce change fatigue and build the broad-based ownership that makes modernization stick across a diverse workforce.
Aptive supports VHA’s transition to a new electronic health record by strengthening governance, operational coordination and staff readiness across the VA health system. The work helps improve visibility, streamline decision-making and support adoption — advancing modernization while safeguarding patient care.
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Mail automation services rapidly reduce wait times for Veterans accessing services.
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Effective training for new personnel and leadership provides faster knowledge integration.
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Resolving data differences between VA and DoD.
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Using human-centered insights and data about employee experience to transform IT services and workforce management
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Standardizing governance processes for greater accountability and efficiency to benefit Veterans.
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Dr. Hoeksema serves as program manager and clinical subject-matter expert for the Aptive’s Human System Services initiative with the Department of Veterans Affairs, advancing human-centered technology design, interoperability and clinical quality initiatives across Aptive’s federal health portfolio.
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Seamless data exchange is the backbone of modern health systems. Interoperability standards in electronic health records ensure that patient information moves securely and consistently across platforms, enhancing safety, efficiency and equity in care. Frameworks like the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement are driving nationwide connectivity, and Aptive helps agencies align technology, policy and people to build a more integrated health care ecosystem.
Health informatics is transforming how federal agencies deliver and manage care, turning data into actionable insight that drives smarter decisions and better outcomes. From electronic health records to AI, it unites people, processes and technology to improve how care is delivered, measured and experienced. Aptive partners with agencies to harness the full potential of health informatics and power a data-driven future for federal health.
Adi V. Gundlapalli, MD, PhD, MS, is a nationally recognized physician-scientist and public health leader with more than 20 years of experience advancing health security, infectious disease response and data-driven decision-making across federal health systems. As Aptive’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Gundlapalli provides clinical and scientific leadership across the firm’s health portfolio, advising on strategy, solution development and delivery in support of complex, mission-critical federal health initiatives.
Dr. Gundlapalli brings deep expertise in informatics, public health surveillance, infectious diseases, and clinical and health IT modernization. He is widely known for leading large-scale, multidisciplinary efforts to strengthen real-time analytics, pathogen detection and surveillance systems in high-stakes environments, including national biodefense and emergency response operations.
Before joining Aptive, Dr. Gundlapalli served in senior leadership roles at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most recently as Senior Advisor for Data Readiness and Response in the Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance, and Technology. In that role, he led enterprise-wide modernization strategies and supported emergency response efforts requiring complex data coordination across federal, state and national security partners. He previously served as Chief Public Health Informatics Officer at CDC, leading initiatives that supported responses to COVID-19, mpox, Marburg and other public health emergencies while managing a $150 million public health surveillance portfolio. He was widely recognized for his service with several awards including the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary’s Commendation for exceptional service and leadership during the Public Health Emergency phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic (2023).
Earlier in his career, Dr. Gundlapalli held multiple leadership, academic and clinical roles with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the University of Utah, including Chief Health Informatics Officer at the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System and Tenured Professor of Medicine. He continues to see patients at Emory Healthcare in Atlanta, Georgia and serves part-time as Adjunct Professor of Medicine and Laboratory Medical Director at Emory University School of Medicine.
Dr. Gundlapalli is board-certified in internal medicine, infectious diseases and clinical informatics and has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications. In 2025, he was named a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher, placing him among the top 0.1% of researchers worldwide for citation impact.
Education and Credentials
Kelly Smith is an action-oriented leader with over 16 years of experience managing, organizing and executing project and program requirements within various industries, focusing on organic growth, data quality and governance and risk management. At Aptive, oversees a portfolio of programs with the aim of enhancing customer relationships and expanding the responsibilities of her teams through innovative opportunities. She uses her insight and knowledge to assist in capture requirements to solicit and bid on new opportunities for Aptive. As a trusted advisor, she fosters trusting and transparent relationships with her team and potential clients, using keen interpersonal skills to understand priorities and pain points that inform and shape business development efforts.
Kelly has supported several large and small-scale information technology projects, providing oversight and guidance to interdependent teams to enhance performance and achieve desired outcomes. She has worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for many years and most recently served as a program director for Tria Federal, where she supported the VA Product Line Director in the Office of Information and Technology. In previous roles, Kelly was responsible for organic growth, cost management, knowledge sharing and adhering to the full systems development life cycle, often drawing on agile and lean practices to improve organizational effectiveness and quickly adapt to evolving client needs.
As Director of Health Informatics and Clinical Quality, Dr. Lynda Hoeksema serves as program manager and clinical subject-matter expert for Aptive’s Human System Services (HSS) initiative with the Department of Veterans Affairs. She designs human-centered technology and clinical processes that solve organizational challenges and drive measurable, enterprise-scale impact. A dual board-certified family nurse practitioner and informaticist, she brings more than 30 years of clinical experience across diverse healthcare settings (ambulatory, hospital and post-acute care) and 15 years in regional and national health informatics.
Previously, Dr. Hoeksema spent 4.5 years at MITRE supporting the Veterans Health Administration’s Human Systems Integration division as a strategic adviser, with additional work for FDA, CMS, NIH and other government agencies. Her portfolio includes interoperability leadership across HL7/FHIR initiatives, real-world evidence work for FDA and change enablement for large electronic health record ecosystems. She has a passion to improve health by leading interprofessional collaborative efforts and values promotion of continual learning where strong teams can achieve results exceeding sole contributions.
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