VA "Candy Man" Fired in Wisconsin

Wisconsin VA hospital official dubbed ‘candy man’ fired
Associated Press
By SCOTT BAUER
October 30, 2015

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The chief of staff at a much-criticized Wisconsin Veterans Affairs Medical Center, who was nicknamed “candy man” by some patients for allegedly handing out excess narcotics, was notified Friday that he would be fired.

David Houlihan was placed on leave in January while the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs investigated allegations of over-prescribing narcotic pain medications and retaliatory behavior at the Tomah, Wisconsin, facility.

The VA told Wisconsin’s congressional delegation that based on results of an investigation, Houlihan was notified Friday that he would be fired effective Nov. 9. Houlihan, who is a psychiatrist, also had his clinical privileges revoked.

The decision to fire Houlihan came after the VA investigated his clinical practice as well as his “administrative interactions with subordinates and alleged retaliatory behavior,” said the statement from the VA telling lawmakers of the firing.
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