The Healthcare Diversion Network Celebrates One Year Since Launching to Track Drug Diversion Incidents in Healthcare Facilities across the US
December 3, 2021
The Healthcare Diversion Network, a nonprofit association dedicated to preventing drug diversion, today celebrates one year since launching HealthcareDiversion.org, a website that aims to compile all known healthcare diversion incidents into a single national database to increase transparency for healthcare organizations. The site works to educate healthcare providers and patients about the risks of drug diversion and share best practices to prevent future diversion.
Since launching, more than 400 drug diversion incidents have been added to the HealthcareDiversion.org database, with at least one incident reported in every state in America. In the coming year, the network plans to further expand its educational resources to help overwhelmed healthcare organizations take steps toward preventing drug diversion during this time of crisis.
"I’m proud of the progress we’ve made in our first year of operation, but there is still plenty to be done,” said Tom Knight, chairman of the Healthcare Diversion Network. “A recent survey found that 40 percent of hospitals still don’t have formal drug diversion programs. This is a great risk for hospitals given the strain they are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Right now, many hospitals just don’t have the resources to take the steps needed to prevent drug diversion, and unfortunately, employees who are diverting drugs could be taking advantage of that."
Over the past year, 17 members have joined the Healthcare Diversion Network’s advisory board including healthcare executives, researchers, investigators, pharmacists and government professionals from organizations across the country. Advisory board members include:
- Matthew Crist, medical officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (DHQP)
- Charlie Cichon, executive director, National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI)
- Elaine Dorr, vice president of Partner Development for Knowledge to Practice
- Russell Dorsey, customer success manager, Protenus
- Derek Empey, clinical informatics pharmacist, Upstate University Hospital
- George Hayes, past president and CEO, Memorial Hospital, University of Colorado Health
- Dr. Timothy Lahey, physician ethicist, University of Vermont Medical Center
- Carolyn Liptak, pharmacy executive director, Vizient
- Lauren Lollini, patient safety advocate
- Russ Nix, drug diversion investigator and founder/operator, AegisRX LLC
- Gwen Volpe, RPh, director medication technology and analytics, Fresenius Kabi USA
“As a former drug diversion specialist and investigator, I speak from experience when I say that drug diversion is such a challenging issue for hospitals to address,” said Russ Nix, founder of Aegis RX and another member of the Healthcare Diversion Network’s advisory board. “I’m pleased to see that at a time when the country’s healthcare system is overloaded, some healthcare organizations are taking extra steps to prevent drug diversion. Now is the time to work together to prevent drug diversion to keep both patients and healthcare workers as safe as possible.”
“Anyone can report an incident. Submitting a report is as simple as visiting our website and completing an incident report,” says Knight. “In order to be successful, we are relying on healthcare professionals taking ownership of the drug diversion issue and ensuring that the community can work together to reduce drug diversion incidents and protect patients.”
HealthcareDiversion.org is a national network to reduce drug diversion. The network provides a platform for individuals to report instances of drug diversion, offering information to raise awareness of past drug diversion and educate healthcare organizations and other stakeholders on best practices to prevent future diversion. HealthcareDiversion.org is operated by the Healthcare Diversion Network, a nonprofit association created in 2019.
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