The former Chief of Staff at the Tomah Veterans Administration Medical Center has agreed to give up his medical license.
Dr. David Houlihan permanently surrendered his license in an agreement with the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services filed Wednesday.
Houlihan agreed to never apply for another license for medical care through the state department.
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Despite surrendering his license, the order states Houlihan “denies any unprofessional conduct” in response to the counts of misconduct filed against him.
Houlihan was fired from the Tomah VA in 2015 based on an investigation into the overprescription of narcotics and other misconduct at the facility. Houlihan was known among patients as the “Candy Man” for his liberal prescribing of opioids.
The state’s Medical Examining Board suspended Houlihan’s license in March. In documents from the decision, an attorney for the state said his conduct created an “unacceptable risk of harm to patients.” But a judge reinstated his license a month later while the ruling was appealed.
Both Houlihan and the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services declined to comment.
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