miércoles, 11 de junio de 2014

CDC - Blogs - Safe Healthcare – Drug Diversion Defined: Consequences for Hospitals and Other Healthcare Facilities

CDC - Blogs - Safe Healthcare – Drug Diversion Defined: Consequences for Hospitals and Other Healthcare Facilities



CDC Safe Healthcare Blog: Drug Diversion Defined: Consequences for Hospitals and Other Healthcare Facilities



Drug Diversion Defined: Consequences for Hospitals and Other Healthcare Facilities
Kimberly New, JD BSN RN 
Today, on CDC’s Safe Healthcare Blog, Kimberly New, JD BSN RN, president of the Tennessee Chapter of the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators, continues her conversation on drug diversion and discusses the many ways in which this problem negatively affects hospitals. As a result of a diversion event, a facility can incur civil and regulatory consequences, become the subject of negative publicity, and even be placed in “immediate jeopardy” of being shut down.
 Join the conversation at: http://blogs.cdc.gov/safehealthcare.
Check out CDC’s NEW Web Page, Risks of Healthcare-associated Infections from Drug Diversion, for additional drug diversion information and resources




Drug Diversion Defined: Consequences for Hospitals and Other Healthcare Facilities

Kimberly New, JD BSN RN
Kimberly New, JD BSN RN
Guest Author: Kimberly New, JD BSN RN
President, Tennessee Chapter of the
National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators
In my last blog, I talked about how drug diversion, or theft of medication, poses a continuous threat to patient safety. In today’s blog, I’ll be discussing the many ways in which drug diversion negatively affects hospitals. It’s hard to believe, but drug diversion occurs in facilities every day.
Hospitals and other healthcare facilities are required to provide care in a safe setting and protect patients from harm. Diversion by personnel in healthcare facilities not only threatens patients, but also places the facility at risk. As a result of a diversion event, the facility can incur civil and regulatory liability, become the subject of negative publicity, and even be placed in “immediate jeopardy” of being shut down.
All healthcare facilities intend to provide good care, but many do not appreciate the frequency with which diversion occurs. They trust their employees to do the right thing. It is unimaginable that an employee’s addiction would go undetected or that a diverter would harm a patient. Facilities may view events as isolated occurrences, and be unsure of what to do once diversion is discovered.

Facilities are offered guidance by federal authorities to help prevent and address diversion. The Drug Enforcement Agency expects facilities to adequately screen potential employees for the risk that they may be involved in diversion. It also requires facilities to take appropriate corrective action when diversion is confirmed. In order to reduce the risk of diversion, federal regulations require facilities to keep medications secure at all times, to accurately track medications as they are used, and be capable of quickly identifying and quantifying theft or diversion.
As a result of a catastrophic diversion case involving harm to multiple patients, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health Services examined the impact of diversion. In the New Hampshire Hepatitis C Outbreak Investigation Public Report, it was suggested:
“Since drug diversion is a real and constant threat in healthcare settings, the approach to prevention and early detection should be one of active planning, implementation, and oversight rather than being reactive to an event.”
The potential impacts of drug diversion on hospitals and other healthcare facilities are serious. In my next blog, I will be discussing how often diversion occurs in facilities, and other steps to prevent and detect diversion activities.

No hay comentarios:

Publicar un comentario