Synopsis

Synopsis Student’s Name Institution Course Professor’s Name Date Introduction Controlled substance compliance and drug diversion are key healthcare issues whose regulatory standards and protocols impact patients and legal integrity. Compliance regarding controlled substances means a healthcare provider is under obligation to abide by federal and state laws while handling, prescribing, and distributing controlled substances. Compliance ensures that these drugs do not fall into the wrong hands. Controlled substances are strictly regulated because they have the potential for abuse and dependency. Drug diversion, on the other hand, is described as the illegal diversion from legitimate medical uses to the illicit use of prescription drugs. Drug diversion may take place at any stage along the supply chain, from manufacturing to dispensing and administering in healthcare settings. This paper provides a synopsis of 6 articles focusing on drug diversion and controlled substance compliance. Summary of the Articles Protenus (2023) gives an overview of the war against drug diversion. The reasons for drug diversion in healthcare include self-use and redistribution for financial gain. Protenus (2023) notes that the primary reason for drug diversion programs is to detect diversion as soon as possible. However, the prevalence of diverters is unknown, and this makes it difficult to assess the success of drug diversion programs. In another article, Clubb et al. (2023) discuss a practical controlled substance diversion monitoring playbook. The playbook applies to all healthcare facilities that aim at starting, creating, or optimizing their drug diversion monitoring programs. Clubb et al. (2023) urge healthcare facilities to change their current workflow to account for contemporary healthcare challenges to manage drug diversion successfully. Moreover, the Institute of Safe Medication Practices has been vital in preventing errors and advocating for medication safety (Davis & DuFresne, 2023). It collects data on medication errors and outlines a series of recommendations to prevent similar occurrences. The presentation by Beeler (2023) describes essential components of a diversion stewardship program, differentiates risk points within a medication lifecycle, and recognizes common challenges in diversion programs. Clark et al. (2022) and Neal et al. (2023) focus on the roles of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) in controlled substance compliance and drug diversion. Neal et al. (2023) discuss the challenges in monitoring and detecting drug diversion within hospitals amid the ongoing opioid epidemic. The study suggested that organizations will reap more benefits from drug diversion prevention programs when they centralize all their efforts. All organizational inconsistent practices should be identified, and ...