This Office of Inspector General (OIG) Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection Program report highlights the results of a focused evaluation of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities’ medication management related to teratogenic medication prescriptions. The report describes a finding from healthcare inspections performed at 45 VHA medical facilities. The OIG interviewed key staff and reviewed the electronic health records of 1,352 randomly selected patients with the potential to become pregnant, who received care at the inspected facilities from July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021, and were prescribed a teratogenic medication.The OIG issued one recommendation for improvement related to providing counseling to patients who have the potential to become pregnant on the risks and benefits of teratogenic medications prior to prescribing them and documenting the counseling in the electronic health record.
Report File
Date Issued
Submitting OIG
Department of Veterans Affairs OIG
Other Participating OIGs
Department of Veterans Affairs OIG
Agencies Reviewed/Investigated
Department of Veterans Affairs
Report Number
23-01177-215
Report Description
Report Type
Inspection / Evaluation
Agency Wide
Yes
Number of Recommendations
1
Questioned Costs
$0
Funds for Better Use
$0
Open Recommendations
This report has 1 open recommendations.
| Recommendation Number | Significant Recommendation | Recommended Questioned Costs | Recommended Funds for Better Use | Additional Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | No | $0 | $0 | ||
| The Under Secretary for Health, in conjunction with Veterans Integrated Service Network directors and facility senior leaders, ensure providers counsel patients who have the potential to become pregnant on the risks and benefits of teratogenic medications prior to prescribing them and document this counseling in the electronic health record. | |||||
