The watchdog agency for the federal Department of Veterans Affairs says staff at the Tomah VA Medical Center failed to report a dentist who used improperly sterilized equipment for more than nine months and found surprise inspections could have alerted hospital leaders sooner.The findings are contained in a report released Thursday by Office of Inspector General on its investigation into the lapse in hygiene, which could have exposed hundreds of veterans to bloodborne infections, including HIV and hepatitis.From Tribune files: Reports about problems at Tomah VA began in 2015A timeline of the over-medication scandal and subsequent investigation at the Tomah VA Medical CenterJanuary 12, 2015Opiates handed out like candy to ‘doped-up’ veteransDoctors at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Tomah hand out so many narcotic painkillers that some veterans have taken to calling the place “Candy Land.” Read moreJanuary 22, 2015Report raised specter of ‘drug diversion’TOMAH — A report on prescription drug practices at the Tomah Veterans Administration Hospital raised the possibility of drugs being diverted beyond the hospital’s gates. Read moreLOADINGJanuary 23, 2015Congress turns up heat on VA in wake of Tomah opiate reportsThe Department of Veterans Affairs is coming under increasing scrutiny from Congress in the wake of media reports of over-medication and staff retaliation at the Tomah VA Medical Center. Read moreLOADINGJanuary 27, 2015Baldwin says she could have done more but was unaware of prior problems at Tomah VAMADISON — U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin said she could have done more to force action on serious problems at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Tomah before they were exposed by the Center for Investigative Reporting earlier this month. Read moreLOADINGJanuary 31, 2015’Candy Land’ nickname ‘troubling,’ VA official saysTOMAH — A top Veterans Administration official said Friday that the Tomah VA Medical Center’s reputation as “Candy Land” is “disrespectful” and “troubling.” Read moreLOADINGFebruary 12, 2015VA gave $8,025 bonus to director of troubled Wisconsin hospitalThe director of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Tomah received an $8,025 bonus at the same time the facility was being investigated for excessive use of painkillers. Read moreLOADINGMarch 11, 2015Opiate investigation finds ‘unsafe medical practices’Results of a preliminary investigation into allegations of over-medication at the Tomah VA found “unsafe medical practices.” Read moreLOADINGMarch 13, 2015Houlihan gets support at Tomah VA town hallDr. David Houlihan and Deborah Frasher have their supporters, and five of them spoke up during a town hall meeting conducted at the Tomah Veterans Administration Medical Center Thursday. Read moreLOADINGMarch 14, 2015Sen. Baldwin: ‘Mistakes were made’ in VA investigationAn investigation commissioned by Sen. Tammy Baldwin found her office mishandled complaints about overmedication of patients at the Tomah Veterans Affairs Medical Center but did not violate ethics or actively try to suppress information. Read moreLOADINGMarch 16, 2015Devastating effects of ‘Candy Land’ reach beyond veteransOn a clear August morning, Amish carpenter William Miller and his family climbed into their black horse-drawn buggy and headed out to the nearest big-box store, a 16-mile journey from their central Wisconsin farm that takes them two hours. Read moreLOADINGMarch 29, 2015’Irrefutably unsafe’: Hearing to showcase whistleblowers, VA brassMembers of Congress are expected to hear from former employees of the Tomah VA Medical Center who say their warnings about over-medication of veterans went unheeded as well as the VA’s own investigators, who say they could not substantiate headline-grabbing allegations.Read moreLOADINGMarch 30, 2015For Barre Mills veteran, even high doses didn’t end the painLike flashes of lightning, sharp pains strike 39-year-old Jason Bishop’s left arm several times a day, causing him to writhe in agony. Read moreLOADINGMarch 31, 2015Congressional panel hears emotional testimony, grills officals opiate useTOMAH — Family members who lost loved ones at the Tomah Veterans Affairs Medical Center and whistleblowers who lost their jobs trying to curb the over-medication of veterans urged lawmakers on Monday to hold those in charge accountable. Read moreLOADINGApril 17, 2015Clinic to slash urgent care hours for veteransCiting staff shortages, the Veterans Administration is cutting overnight hours at its urgent care clinic in Tomah. Read moreLOADINGJune 17, 2015Baldwin to introduce VA opiate billU.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., announced plans Tuesday to introduce legislation designed to curb opiate prescription within the VA health system, a response to reports this winter of rampant opioid prescriptions by providers at the Tomah VA Medical Center. Read moreLOADINGAugust 8, 2015Inspector General faults Tomah VA docs in death of Marine vetA VA investigation has fou
The watchdog agency for the federal Department of Veterans Affairs says staff at the Tomah VA Medical Center failed to report a dentist who used improperly sterilized equipment for more than nine months and found surprise inspections could have alerted hospital leaders sooner.The findings are contained in a report released Thursday by Office of Inspector General on its investigation into the lapse in hygiene, which could have exposed hundreds of veterans to bloodborne infections, including HIV and hepatitis.From Tribune files: Reports about problems at Tomah VA began in 2015A timeline of the over-medication scandal and subsequent investigation at the Tomah VA Medical CenterJanuary 12, 2015Opiates handed out like candy to ‘doped-up’ veteransDoctors at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Tomah hand out so many narcotic painkillers that some veterans have taken to calling the place “Candy Land.” Read moreJanuary 22, 2015Report raised specter of ‘drug diversion’TOMAH — A report on prescription drug practices at the Tomah Veterans Administration Hospital raised the possibility of drugs being diverted beyond the hospital’s gates. Read moreLOADINGJanuary 23, 2015Congress turns up heat on VA in wake of Tomah opiate reportsThe Department of Veterans Affairs is coming under increasing scrutiny from Congress in the wake of media reports of over-medication and staff retaliation at the Tomah VA Medical Center. Read moreLOADINGJanuary 27, 2015Baldwin says she could have done more but was unaware of prior problems at Tomah VAMADISON — U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin said she could have done more to force action on serious problems at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Tomah before they were exposed by the Center for Investigative Reporting earlier this month. Read moreLOADINGJanuary 31, 2015’Candy Land’ nickname ‘troubling,’ VA official saysTOMAH — A top Veterans Administration official said Friday that the Tomah VA Medical Center’s reputation as “Candy Land” is “disrespectful” and “troubling.” Read moreLOADINGFebruary 12, 2015VA gave $8,025 bonus to director of troubled Wisconsin hospitalThe director of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Tomah received an $8,025 bonus at the same time the facility was being investigated for excessive use of painkillers. Read moreLOADINGMarch 11, 2015Opiate investigation finds ‘unsafe medical practices’Results of a preliminary investigation into allegations of over-medication at the Tomah VA found “unsafe medical practices.” Read moreLOADINGMarch 13, 2015Houlihan gets support at Tomah VA town hallDr. David Houlihan and Deborah Frasher have their supporters, and five of them spoke up during a town hall meeting conducted at the Tomah Veterans Administration Medical Center Thursday. Read moreLOADINGMarch 14, 2015Sen. Baldwin: ‘Mistakes were made’ in VA investigationAn investigation commissioned by Sen. Tammy Baldwin found her office mishandled complaints about overmedication of patients at the Tomah Veterans Affairs Medical Center but did not violate ethics or actively try to suppress information. Read moreLOADINGMarch 16, 2015Devastating effects of ‘Candy Land’ reach beyond veteransOn a clear August morning, Amish carpenter William Miller and his family climbed into their black horse-drawn buggy and headed out to the nearest big-box store, a 16-mile journey from their central Wisconsin farm that takes them two hours. Read moreLOADINGMarch 29, 2015’Irrefutably unsafe’: Hearing to showcase whistleblowers, VA brassMembers of Congress are expected to hear from former employees of the Tomah VA Medical Center who say their warnings about over-medication of veterans went unheeded as well as the VA’s own investigators, who say they could not substantiate headline-grabbing allegations.Read moreLOADINGMarch 30, 2015For Barre Mills veteran, even high doses didn’t end the painLike flashes of lightning, sharp pains strike 39-year-old Jason Bishop’s left arm several times a day, causing him to writhe in agony. Read moreLOADINGMarch 31, 2015Congressional panel hears emotional testimony, grills officals opiate useTOMAH — Family members who lost loved ones at the Tomah Veterans Affairs Medical Center and whistleblowers who lost their jobs trying to curb the over-medication of veterans urged lawmakers on Monday to hold those in charge accountable. Read moreLOADINGApril 17, 2015Clinic to slash urgent care hours for veteransCiting staff shortages, the Veterans Administration is cutting overnight hours at its urgent care clinic in Tomah. Read moreLOADINGJune 17, 2015Baldwin to introduce VA opiate billU.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., announced plans Tuesday to introduce legislation designed to curb opiate prescription within the VA health system, a response to reports this winter of rampant opioid prescriptions by providers at the Tomah VA Medical Center. Read moreLOADINGAugust 8, 2015Inspector General faults Tomah VA docs in death of Marine vetA VA investigation has fou