Missing
medications from a hospital can be an accident, a mistake, or theft. When medications are missing, there will be
an investigation to determine the appropriate action to take.
A Case of
Missing Medications
A
6-month long investigation took place in one medical, facility.Medications were being ordered in large
quantities and then ending up missing. Initially, it could not be determined where the medications were going,
so a more complete investigation was conducted. As it turned out multiple hospitals were involved, and it was an
organized group that had several hospital staff working with them. People lost jobs and went to prison over their
very poor choices.
A
pharmacist that owned a pharmacy was fortunately caught, as he was diluting
cancer medications and selling the remainder for huge profits. This was especially difficult as several paints
had passed away while taking prescribed chemo drugs that came from this
pharmacy. The pharmacist was acting
alone and was convicted for his actions.
Sadly,
it is not uncommon to have a case of theft where medications are involved. With the regulations, and video cameras, plus
observant coworkers, rarely does the culprit not get caught.
Mistakes
with Medications
Mistakes
can happen, and mistakes with medication are not an exception. Transposing of numbers, a handwritten error,
or simply miscounting can throw inventory off and alert officials that
medications are missing. In these cases,
an audit generally finds the error fairly quick, and the situation is
resolved. A supplier can also make a
mistake and short you what is documented you are receiving. It's very important to count and make sure
you see each and every medication box that is being delivered, a box short
could cause numerous problems, including time and money.
Medications
are carefully monitored at every hospital and pharmacy. Rules and regulations are put in place to
safeguard medications, and for the most part, this is working well. Most facilities now have measures in place
that will ensure the right patient receives the right medication.
The
problem with missing medications has subsided considerably over the years;
statistics show a drop in incidents.
- 1975- hospitals that reported at that
time, reported as much as 33% of the prescription medications were unaccounted
for.
- 1982- at this time more guidelines were
being put in place to ensure medications were not being abused.
- 1990- computers were making it easier to document
and track inventory of medications.
About 15% of hospitals were using computers for inventory control.
- 1998- 60% of hospitals now rely on
computers and video cameras to control medications and to secure the medication
closet.
- 2009- 96% of all hospitals use computers
at this time, and video monitoring is ensuring medications are being
administered properly and not misplaced.
- 2017- you would be hard pressed to find a
facility that does not control medication inventory with computers. There are also multiple security efforts in
p, ace to ensure medications are not missing. More safeguards than ever before protect medical staff, and medications
from complications.
One
nurse mentioned that in the 1970’s, when a noticeable amount of medications was
missing, they would have the equivalent of a shake down of employees, and
actually find medications almost every time. Today it is rare to have medications missing, with controls so strict,
it would be quite difficult to conceal a theft of medication.
Insurance
companies for medical centers do random audits to ensure medication safety,
including the security of all prescribed drugs. All nurses should be cautious when getting medications for patients, and
be certain they have the correct amount and no more.
The
good news is, today only about 1% of medications are missing and unaccounted
for.
Comments
Post a Comment