MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Veterans Affairs officials say they are trying to put solutions in place to limit narcotic overprescribing practices in VA hospitals, but lapses still happen. At a U.S. Senate hearing in Washington Thursday, Sen. Richard Blumenthal called the VA system of prescribing narcotics “abysmally inaccurate” and prodded VA officials on how they would fix programs used to monitor prescription of painkillers. Interim VA Undersecretary for Health Carolyn Clancy said the VA is launching computer tools aimed at tracking opioid prescriptions across the VA system. But Clancy said software in 29 states doesn’t work with similar state-run programs. As a result some patients can get prescriptions from both VA and other doctors. Clancy said she is working to address the gap and the program has seen success elsewhere.
