Bearing the Standard

Critics of the VA have in many cases rightly made accountability the watchword of their campaigns. To its credit, the VA has embraced the cause in the I CARE value of integrity. “Act with high moral principle. Adhere to the highest professional standards. Maintain the trust and confidence of all with whom I engage.”⁵

But that sense of responsibility must extend to all those who provide care to veterans—especially those who prescribe medications that have the immense double-edged potential to relieve pain and disability but at the same time also cause suffering and death.

While this inability to enforce VA/DoD responsible prescribing requirements in the community is likely more urgent and life threatening, there still are many other federal clinical and organizational policies and regulations to which the community is not required to adhere. I will discuss some of these and their potentially negative implications in future columns. For the promise of Choice to be realized, we all must work together to bear the highest possible standard of care for those who serve and have served.