Diversion in the Pharmacy

Abstract

This is the first of a six-part series on diversion of controlled substances in an acute health care setting. The six articles are meant to accompany the recommendations in the Hospital Pharmacy article ‘Controlled Substance Diversion Detection: Go the Extra Mile’ for a comprehensive analysis of all aspects of controlled substance handling. 1 The series focuses on preventing diversion from automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs), the operating room, and at all handling points within a pharmacy. The objective of the series is to provide practical recommendations to aid pharmacy managers as they seek to prevent or detect diversion. Experience is key to diversion detection; however, a pharmacy should not have to experience their own diversion in order to learn from it. The collective experience of pharmacy leaders at the Ohio State University Medical Center and the University of Kansas Hospital are gathered to assist other pharmacy leaders in the hopes that they do not have to gain this experience firsthand.