title: Compliance with recommendations for prevention and detection of controlled-substance diversion in hospitals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The use of recommended practices for preventing and detecting diversion of prescription controlled substances at U.S. acute-care institutions, as reported by a sample of pharmacy service providers, were characterized.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 41-item questionnaire was developed for an online survey of directors of pharmacy regarding strategies to combat controlled-substance diversion at their institutions. The survey questions were based on recommendations presented in a 2007 series of articles in the professional literature focusing on diversion control in three areas (the pharmacy, the operating room, and nursing units). Only institutions that had an accredited pharmacy residency program or were members of the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC), an alliance of U.S. academic medical centers and affiliated hospitals, were targeted for the survey. Four hundred ninety-nine pharmacists were invited to participate in the survey, and 140 survey responses were received; all respondents did not answer all questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survey responses indicated considerable variation among the institutions in the use of 37 specific recommended practices, as reported by the pharmacy providers. Statistical analysis of comparative data suggested that larger institutions (400 or more licensed beds) were more likely to be using more of the recommended practices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of a survey of directors of pharmacy at a sample of U.S. institutions (hospitals that had pharmacy residency programs or were UHC members) suggest wide variation in facilities' use of recommended practices for the prevention and detection of controlled-substance diversion.
authors: Health-System Pharmacy Administration Resident, University of Kansas Hospital (KUH), Kansas City, USA. steven.mcclure@christushealth.org
authors: Steven R
authors: SR
authors: McClure
authors: Brian C
authors: BC
authors: O'Neal
authors: Dennis
authors: D
authors: Grauer
authors: Rick J
authors: RJ
authors: Couldry
authors: Allison R
authors: AR
authors: King
mesh_terms: D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control / Q000379:methods; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000592:standards*; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006740:Hospital Administrators / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D010559:Personnel Management / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000592:standards; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000592:standards*; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations