August 2021
The following are several drug diversion news stories that have captured our industry’s attention.
Hyde Park woman charged with forging narcotic prescriptions
A Hyde Park woman has been arrested on charges related to falsifying narcotic prescriptions through her job as an office assistant for Dr. Anthony Sarayno in Hyde Park. The arrest is the result of a year-long joint investigation by the Dutchess County Drug Task Force and the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
53-year-old Alison Albertson was taken into custody on August 4, 2021. Officials say Albertson had worked there for several years.
Curwensville nurse charged by AG in drug case
A woman who was employed as a licensed practice nurse at Christ the King Manor in DuBois, Penn. has been charged by the state Attorney General Josh Shapiro’s office on drug-related charges.
Agent Ben Meintel of the Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and Drug Control charged the nurse with a felony and two misdemeanors.
Nurse rehabilitation programs: why is enrollment so low?
A 3-month investigation by MedPage Today has revealed that enrollment among alternative-to-discipline (ATD) rehabilitation programs for nurses — believed to be the best option to help them overcome substance use disorder without discipline — is “tragically small,” in the words of one nursing expert.
Thus, many nurses who could benefit don’t get the care they need before their addictions have disrupted their lives and careers.
Counterfeit pills are driving a spike in deaths
A flood of counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with the powerful opioid fentanyl drove a spike in drug overdose deaths across Oklahoma last year, according to the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.
Oklahoma saw 136 overdose deaths from fentanyl in 2020, a nearly 152 percent increase over the previous year, according to preliminary Bureau of Narcotics data. Last year was a record year for fatal drug overdoses in Oklahoma — 1,002 people died, exceeding the previous high of 883 deaths in 2019.
DEA seizes more than 700 million pills in Fort Bend County
The Drug Enforcement Administration has effectively shut down Sugar Land pharmaceutical company that they say mishandled millions of doses of controlled substances, many of them powerful pain killers and addictive opioids.
DEA agents carted out more than 700 million dosage units of controlled substances, like the opioid Tramadol.
Ohio community leaders discuss signing on to billion-dollar opioid deal
Community leaders around Ohio are weighing whether to sign on to the $26 billion opioid settlement with three drug distributors and a manufacturer. They’re going over the specifics as they consider their final decisions, which could bring big money, but some fear could also be costly.
Ohio stands to get a good-sized chunk of the settlement between some 4,000 entities and distributors McKesson, AmerisourceBergen, and Ohio-based Cardinal Health, along with drug maker Johnson & Johnson.
Dermatologist formerly employed at Charlottesville practice sentenced
A dermatologist who was employed in Charlottesville was recently sentenced for diverting pain medication.
Forty-eight-year-old Dr. Amalie Shaffner Derdeyn was sentenced to 12 months of probation including a period of home confinement and electronic monitoring.
Dr. Derdeyn was convicted of using the Drug Enforcement Administration registration number of her co-workers in order to obtain prescription opioid pain medication, according to a news release from the Department of Justice.
Co-founder highlighted in leading magazine
Authority Magazine recently interviewed physicians, hospital administrators, and other healthcare leaders to share lessons they’ve learned from the pandemic and how we need to improve the US Healthcare System. ANiGENT co-founder Charles “Chuck” D’Amato was recently highlighted. See his perspectives here.
ANiGENT obtains HIPAA compliance
A top-rated compliancy group has reaffirmed ANiGENT’s commitment to patient security and privacy. The fast-growing drug diversion company has received its Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance certification.
DDWatch highlights individuals who promote excellence in the business world. Their stories and leadership experience are what inspires others and move them to action.
Early preparation is key to stopping drug diversion
With the Delta variant of COVID-19 becoming the dominant variant and cases rising, it seems like the chaos that hospitals experienced last year could return. Many are fearful of the toll a new wave of the pandemic could take on physicians and other healthcare workers.
However, this potential chaos also presents an opportunity for drug diverters. This is a primary concern for Kenneth J. Mishark, MD, a hospitalist for Mayo Clinic in Arizona. As the leader of drug diversion prevention at Mayo Clinic Arizona, Dr. Mishark oversees the investigations of diversion for the facility. He also is the vice chair for diversion prevention for the entire Mayo Clinic enterprise. Dr. Mishark focuses on developing and implementing policies and procedures across all locations.
Throughout his 20+ year career, he has seen how dangerous a drug-impaired healthcare worker can be to patients, colleagues, and themselves. The consequences can be dire. Impairment could lead to negligent care or patient deaths. These types of incidents can destroy credibility and trust between healthcare physicians and the general public.
“One of the problems with drug diversion is that facilities tend to keep investigations close to their chest, so it’s hard to get accurate data,” said Dr. Mishark. “They don’t want to alert healthcare workers internally because it could affect what they are monitoring. Another challenge is just because investigators don’t see discrepancies doesn’t mean that variances don’t exist.”
The traditional approach of investigating drug diversion is labor intensive. Methods like watching security camera footage, reviewing documentation, and examining employee shift records are prone to human error and are also time consuming.
One of the ways to reduce the time spent analyzing data is to use emerging technologies, like artificial intelligence (AI). AI gives the ability to see patterns of behavior that otherwise would not have been seen. Through data analysis, behaviors are recognizable, trackable, and quantifiable.
Dr. Mishark firmly believes that identifying drug diversion early is critical to protect the diverter, facility, and patients.
“Usually, those who divert drugs are not first offenders. They’ve become addicted and have been pilfering for some time. If caught early enough, there’s a chance they can be helped, protecting their career, and more importantly, their lives.”
Thwarting drug diversion can’t be done alone, which led Dr. Mishark to lend his expertise to ANiGENT by joining its Board of Advisors. As a leader in drug diversion prevention, he provides insight on how drug diversion occurs in hospitals.
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