Wolters Kluwer Health has released new findings from the fifth edition of its State of Drug Diversion survey, offering a detailed look into how healthcare institutions are addressing the diversion of controlled substances. Despite increasing investments in prevention programs, only 33% of respondents reported being very confident in their organization's ability to detect and prevent drug diversion.
The survey, which collected insights from nurse leaders, pharmacists, risk managers, and diversion program administrators, underscores the persistence of drug diversion across healthcare systems. Eighty-one percent of respondents believe such incidents continue to occur within their organizations, with many remaining unreported. These findings point to ongoing challenges in both detection and interdepartmental coordination.
Although most organizations have revised their policies to meet updated regulatory requirements, enforcement remains inconsistent. A reliance on manual auditing processes continues to hinder early identification of suspicious activity, leaving room for undetected diversion.
Technology adoption is limited: only 40% of respondents currently use AI-driven tools, though 76% expressed interest in implementing advanced analytics to strengthen oversight. The data also highlights gaps in cross-functional collaboration. While departments such as anesthesiology are considered critical to prevention, only a third of organizations report their involvement in diversion programs. Similarly, dedicated staffing has evolved, with organizations moving from an average of 0.25 full-time employees in 2023 to approximately three FTEs by 2025.
The report emphasizes that absence of suspicious findings may not indicate the absence of diversion, but rather signal the limitations of existing detection methods. Respondents identified a need for broader use of AI technologies and stronger collaboration across departments to improve program efficacy.
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