Insights from a National Survey on Controlled Substance Diversion Practices in U.S. Hospital Pharmacies: Opportunities for Enhanced Surveillance and Compliance
Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This study explored controlled substance (CS) diversion surveillance practices within hospital pharmacies across the United States. A survey with questions based on published CS diversion risk points was conducted in May 2024. A total of 66 participants from 31 states responded, with 54.5% from single facilities and the remaining from health systems. Most respondents were pharmacy directors, managers, or those in dedicated drug diversion roles. Over 70% have dedicated surveillance teams and use drug diversion software. Results highlight variation in practices, with larger institutions generally showing better compliance. Compliance in procurement and receiving was high for access measures; however, auditing of processes was lower. The lowest procurement compliance was in monitoring periodic automatic replacement (PAR) levels and validating orders with wholesalers. Storage practices showed high compliance in deploying cameras, but low compliance in monitoring them. Dispensing practices had high compliance for restricting CS in automated dispensing cabinets, but low incidence of witness verification during stocking. Waste and disposal practices were well-followed, but training on detecting potential signs of medication tampering was less common. The survey highlights that while strategies to prevent CS diversion exist, their implementation varies. Enhancing monitoring, auditing, and training is essential to strengthen diversion prevention efforts in hospital pharmacies.
Source: Pharmacy
Authors: Samantha S. Bastow, Eric P. Borrelli, Julia D. Lucaci, Heather Nelkin, April Graves, Amanda Hays
Institution: Becton Dickinson (United States)
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,046
OpenAlex ID: W4404992501