Drug Diversion in Health Care Facilities The illegal diversion of pharmaceutical drugs in a health care facility should be a major concern of the entire staff. When these drugs are being diverted by health care professionals, the care, comfort, and even lives of their patients come into jeopardy. Seldom do these drugs reach the street for sale. Instead, health care professionals use these drugs while working in the health care facility. In addition to the patient care issues, it creates enormous legal liability for the facility.

Prompt, competent action is essential when prescription drugs are being diverted in the healthcare facility. This not only protects the patient’s life, but requires the health professional to deal with their drug problem, before it's too late. This hopefully then leads the addicted health care professional into treatment and rehabilitation. This presentation provides the audience with the following information when dealing with the inevitable prospect of the diversion of pharmaceuticals from the health facility:

- IDENTIFYING THE DRUGS OF CHOICE

- PROFILE OF THE DIVERTING HEALTH PROFESSIONAL

- IDENTIFYING DRUG DOCUMENT FALSIFICATION

- TYPES OF HEALTH PROFESSIONAL DRUG DIVERSION

- SUBSTITUTION OF PHARMACEUTICAL DRUGS

- DRUG DIVERSION IN THE OPERATING ROOM

- INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES

- PREVENTATIVE MEASURES TO REDUCE THE DIVERSION OF DRUGS

- PITFALLS OF HEALTH PROFESSIONAL DRUG SCREENS

- LEGAL LIABILITY ISSUES FOR THE HEALTH FACILITY

- LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR REPORTING DRUG DIVERSION

Actual examples of diverted pharmaceuticals from health facilities will be seen, along with an interesting audio visual presentation. This program can be geared to a general health facility audience, or a more specific group, such as nurse managers, administration, human resource professionals, risk management, legal department, or pharmacy.

The time for this education is now. Its important to realize that the diversion of pharmaceuticals occurs in all health facilities at one time or another. Knowing what to do when this problem arises in your health facility, or more importantly, how to help prevent it, should be a top priority. Two or four hour blocks of instruction can be presented at your facility, with discounts for multiple presentations. For more information about Health Care Facility Investigations click here.