VA Response to 60th National Convention Resolutions

RESOLUTION 41-05

RESOLVED, that BVA request that the Secretary instruct BRS to have consumer involvement on strategic planning committees, and that the consumers be used as partners in the development of all strategic planning that affects treatment and service delivery to blinded veterans.

VA Comment:

VA supports this resolution in the sense that we encourage consumer utilization of standing advisory committees (i.e. Advisory Committee on Prosthetics and Special Disabilities), which provide VA with advice and guidance on a variety of issues. Both VA and the House and Senate Committees on Veterans Affairs in Congress acknowledge that advisory committee members act as “consumer representatives”. As always, the advisory committee members operate in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, Public Law 92-463.

RESOLUTION 42-05

RESOLVED, that BVA request the Secretary to investigate and identify roadblocks toward the implementation of ScripTalk.

VA Comment:

VA concurs with this resolution. VA established processes which ensure that all veterans have access to Audible Prescription Reading Devices to help them with the independent safe management of medication identification and prescription information. All VA Medical Centers (VAMCs) have implemented the program or have access to the system within their VISN. VAMCs with full or part-time VIST Coordinators have achieved full implementation, to include training of veterans and issuance of ScripTalk prescriptions as described in VHA Directive 2004-06, Audible Prescription Reading Devices.

RESOLVED, that the Under Secretary for Health take appropriate corrective action to remove roadblocks to full implementation so that no blinded veteran remain at risk of unnecessary medication errors due to not being able to read his or her medication label.

VA Comment:

VA’s Pharmacy Benefits Management Service updated its guidelines for providing prescribed medications via the self-medication program in BRCs. VA Central Office works its facilities and VISNs to eliminate any significant obstacles for access to Audible Prescription Reading device and continues to monitor the program. VA medical facilities continuously review adverse events reported at their facilities to improve the medication-use process. Adverse events that are significant or appear to have common occurrences with a significant adverse event will result in a facility decision to conduct an in-depth analysis. This allows the local medical facility to look at the events leading to the medication errors and determine the action plan that will improve the medication-use process. Local medical centers are committed to improving the care to veterans by improving the medication-use process.

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