How ASHP Is Helping Improve Drug Diversion Prevention Programs


Dear Colleagues,

As the nation continues to confront its deadly opioid crisis, health systems must do more to prevent the diversion of potentially deadly drugs into our communities. Drug diversion endangers patients and healthcare workers and can create financial and legal liabilities for institutions. ASHP is committed to helping our members address this underreported but urgent problem.

Today, ASHP is pleased to unveil our Controlled Substances Diversion Prevention Program (CSDPP) Assessment Tool. This practical, web-based resource will help your organization conduct a gap analysis against best practices described in the ASHP Guidelines on Preventing Diversion of Controlled Substances.

Healthcare settings that lack safeguards or oversight are most at risk for drug diversion. By completing the assessment, you'll learn what steps to take to ensure your organization has a solid diversion prevention program. The assessment tool was made possible with support from Bluesight, The Medication Intelligence Company, through the ASHP Foundation. 

Helping our members improve their diversion prevention programs is just one way that ASHP has responded to the opioid crisis. We also advocated successfully for the removal of the federal X-waiver, which had prevented many providers from managing medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). And to increase patient access, we've developed model state legislation that authorizes pharmacists to initiate MOUD for their patients.

In addition, ASHP has created one of the nation’s few MOUD training programs geared toward pharmacists and any other providers ready to lead this treatment. The program meets Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration training requirements for the Medication Access and Training Expansion Act of 2023.

Please visit our Pain Management and MOUD Resource Center to see more on this important issue, including additional content on diversion prevention.

ASHP will continue to do its part to help curb the opioid epidemic, promote a culture of safety, and strengthen internal controls to proactively prevent or detect diversion. As pharmacists, we are the medication experts. Any effective response to this public health crisis demands our participation.

Thank you for all you do for our profession and your patients.

Sincerely,

Paul



Posted on April 25, 2024