Combating Drug Diversion: Strategies for Prevention and Detection

Drug diversion is a significant problem for the healthcare industry, and occurs when medication is taken by someone other than the person it was prescribed for, ranging from controlled substances to essential antibiotics. When this happens, it not only jeopardizes the patient’s safety, but also the public trust and integrity of the healthcare organization involved.

Studies have found that roughly 10% of US healthcare workers abuse controlled substances.¹ When controlled substances are stolen or misused, patient safety is put at risk, medication integrity is compromised, and healthcare organizations face serious legal and financial consequences. Despite strict regulations, diversion continues to happen in hospitals, pharmacies, and healthcare facilities. Detecting drug diversion requires a proactive approach.

The difficulty of detecting diversion:

Many cases of diversion can go undetected for months or even years. With thousands of medication transactions occurring daily, spotting small discrepancies without automated tracking is nearly impossible. Even when suspicious activity is noticed, staff may still hesitate to report suspicious activity due to fear of being wrong or concerns about retaliation. Without strong reporting systems and real-time monitoring, diversion can be difficult to both detect and prove, putting patients and organizations at risk. So, what do you look for?

Drug diversion can take many forms, but some of the most common methods include:

• Falsifying Documentation: Recording that medication was given to a patient when it was taken.
• Tampering with Medications: Diluting liquid medications or replacing them with harmless substances to cover up theft.
• “Wasting” Medication: Claiming a drug was disposed of (e.g., partial dose) when it was stolen.
• Theft from Storage Areas: Taking medications from unsecured supply rooms, or automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs)
• Prescription Fraud: Altering or forging prescription to obtain drugs for personal use or resell.

Identifying and preventing diversion requires a proactive, multi-layered approach that includes strong policies, staff educations, advanced monitoring systems. Healthcare organizations must go beyond traditional monitoring and implement stronger security measures, data-driven detection tools, and a culture of accountability.

Preventing and monitoring diversion:

Routine audits and staff education play a key role in preventing diversion. Random medication audits, cross-checking dispensing records with administration logs, and verifying waste documentation can help uncover inconsistencies. But prevention is not just about policies–it is also about culture. Encouraging a culture of accountability and implementing anonymous reporting systems can also help staff feel comfortable reporting suspicious activity.

Physically securing controlled substances is also important. Limiting access to medications, tracking inventory in real time, and using biometric authentication can help ensure that only authorized staff handle medications. Tightening security around controlled substances is one of the most effective ways to prevent diversion. Using technology such as biometric authentication, automated dispensing cabinets, and real-time inventory tracking helps ensure that only authorized personnel have access to medications and that missing doses are flagged immediately.

However, these traditional monitoring methods are no longer enough to catch diversion before it becomes a larger issue. AI-powered drug diversion software can analyze medication usage patterns, identify suspicious behavior, and automate compliance tracking, enabling healthcare organizations to proactively prevent diversion with real-time insights and alerts. But detecting is only half the battle. Drug diversion monitoring solutions also fill an important role in providing a full audit trail and report that can be used to uncover and improve poor processes, or prove a potential diversion if necessary.

Final thoughts:

By leveraging technology, strict security measures, and a culture of accountability, hospitals and pharmacies can protect both their patients and their staff. Every dose of medication should reach the patient who needs it without the risk of theft or misuse, and the right technology can make all the difference in achieving this goal.

If you are ready to move beyond traditional monitoring and take a proactive approach to drug diversion prevention let’s talk! Our drug diversion monitoring solution DetectRx uses AI and automation to review the data from your hospital’s EMR, ADCs, and timekeeping systems to deliver key insights and combat drug diversion. Learn more about how DetectRx can help you achieve your goals in combating drug diversion and enhancing patient safety.