DRUG DIVERSION CAN ADVERSELY IMPACT PATIENT CARE, EMPLOYEE morale, and your facility's bottom line. As such, it is critical to implement a systematic approach to handling your inventory of controlled substances and high-cost products that may be targeted for diversion. A multidisciplinary team of administrators, physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and security personnel should be formed to develop the policies and procedures for handling controlled substances in your facility. To successfully manage diversion issues, it can also be helpful to assign designated anti-diversion roles to members of the pharmacy staff.

After establishing standardized methods for documenting and monitoring your controlled substances inventory, your facility may benefit from the implementation of products designed to further aid your anti-drug diversion efforts. Devices like automated narcotic vaults and automated dispensing machines (ADMs) can provide increased security over controlled substances, as well as generate valuable reports to track inventory and identify possible cases of diversion. Standalone software is also available to enhance your ADMs' inventory-reporting capabilities. In addition, products like retrofitted cabinet and refrigerator locks and narcotic lock boxes can serve as relatively low-cost safeguards against diversion.

Download the PDF, PP&P highlights an array of products designed to help your facility combat drug diversion.