The Wisconsin U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center where nearly 600 patients were at risk for exposure to hepatitis and HIV is now facing congressional scrutiny. A dentist at the facility in Tomah, WI, was found to have cleaned and reused burs in a violation of VA policy.
Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Charles Grassley (R-IA) sent a joint letter on December 6 to VA Secretary Robert McDonald asking for more information about the violation, how the related investigation was conducted, and its findings. They also requested more information about VA training procedures and plans for holding the dentist in question accountable.
The dentist involved in the violation recently resigned and was removed from patient care in October. The practitioner has not been identified because of federal employee protections.
The Tomah VA said that about one-third of the 592 veterans who may have been exposed to HIV or hepatitis because of the improper sterilization practices have been tested, and there have been no positive results so far, according to a WEAU 13 News story.
