Survey on Controlled Substance Diversion Practices in U.S. Hospitals
Author Information
Author(s): Samantha S. Bastow, Eric P. Borrelli, Julia D. Lucaci, Heather Nelkin, April Graves, Amanda Hays
Primary Institution: Becton Dickinson and Company
Hypothesis
What are the current practices for controlled substance diversion surveillance in U.S. hospital pharmacies?
Conclusion
The study found significant variation in controlled substance diversion practices among hospital pharmacies, with larger institutions generally showing better compliance.
Supporting Evidence
- Over 70% of respondents have dedicated surveillance teams and use drug diversion software.
- Larger institutions are more likely to implement recommended practices for preventing diversion.
- Compliance in procurement and receiving was high for access measures, but lower for auditing processes.
- Training on detecting medication tampering was less common among respondents.
Takeaway
This study looked at how hospitals keep track of controlled substances to prevent misuse, and found that bigger hospitals do a better job than smaller ones.
Methodology
A survey was conducted among hospital pharmacies across the U.S. to assess their practices regarding controlled substance diversion.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-reporting and the anonymity of responses.
Limitations
The study had a low response rate and relied on self-reported data, which may introduce bias.
Participant Demographics
Participants included pharmacy directors, managers, and drug diversion team members from various hospital types across 31 states.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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