VA drug formulary : drug review process is standardized at the national level, but actions are needed to ensure timely adjudication of nonformulary drug requests : report to congressional addressees.

Format:

Book

Government document

Author/Creator:

United States. Government Accountability Office

Contributor:

Dicken, John E.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States. Department of Veterans Affairs--Rules and practice--Evaluation.

United States.

United States. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Drugs--Prescribing--United States.

Drugs.

Drug utilization--Government policy--United States.

Drug utilization.

Medicine--Formulae, receipts, prescriptions.

Medicine.

Veterans--Medical care--United States.

Veterans.

Drug utilization--Government policy.

Drugs--Prescribing.

Veterans--Medical care.

Genre:

Rules and practice.

Formulae, receipts, prescriptions.

Prescriptions, formulae, receipts, etc.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (ii, 36 pages) : illustrations

Other Title:

Department of Veterans Affairs drug formulary : drug review process is standardized at the national level, but actions are needed to ensure timely adjudication of nonformulary drug requests

Drug review process is standardized at the national level, but actions are needed to ensure timely adjudication of nonformulary drug requests

Place of Publication:

[Washington, D.C.] : U.S. Govt. Accountability Office, [2010]

Summary:

In 2009, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) spent nearly $4 billion on prescriptions for veterans. In general, VA provides drugs on its national formulary. However, all VA medical centers must have a nonformulary drug request process that is overseen by their regional Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN). This report responds to a House Committee on Appropriations report directing GAO to review VA's formulary process and to an additional congressional request. Specifically, GAO reviewed (1) the process VA uses to review drugs for its national formulary, (2) the approaches VISNs and medical centers take to implementing the nonformulary drug request process, (3) the extent to which VA ensures the timely adjudication of nonformulary drug requests, and (4) the mechanisms VA has in place to obtain beneficiary input on the national formulary and make the drug review process transparent. GAO reviewed VA policy guidance and VA's pharmacy-related information technology (IT) initiatives, analyzed 2008 and 2009 drug review data and 2009 nonformulary drug request data, and interviewed VA officials from the national level, each VISN, and a judgmental sample of four medical centers. GAO recommends that VA establish additional mechanisms to ensure nonformulary drug requests are adjudicated in a timely fashion. VA concurred with this recommendation.

Notes:

Title from cover screen (GAO, viewed Sept. 1, 2010).

"August 2010."

Includes bibliographical references.

"GAO-10-776."

OCLC:

660098479