Drug theft is a prevalent problem in the realm of healthcare. To the extent that between January and August 2013, there were 13, 885 instances in which the theft of drugs were reported by hospitals, pharmacies, EMS agencies, and other health care organizations in the United States.
It should not come to a surprise that controlled substance diversion is a growing concern. The prevalent occurrences have increased media coverage on the reported theft and have caused the DEA to pass strict mandate on storage for controlled substances. The prominent issues that EMS agencies will then face are the penalties that will arise if the new requirements are violated. To this end, non-compliant agencies can:
- Be limited on dispensing certain controlled substances en route to local hospitals.
- Have their registration suspended.
- Face fines.
- Be subjected to multiple investigations.
Having to comply to the uprising set of requirements, many organizations will be left with having to search for access control systems that may exceed budget limits. Thus, being tasked with finding a right balance between affordability and reliability comes into question.
From the many options available in today’s market, there is one stand out system that has gained traction. NarcLock, using programmable smart keys and locks, agencies can manage access to narcotics stored in lock boxes, safes, cases, vaults, and more. Detailed audit trails are stored in both the key and lock every time access is attempted, increasing accountability and decreasing the risk of drug tampering.
Unlike similar products on the market, there is no wiring or battery required for NarcLock safes so agencies do not have to worry about getting locked out of safes due to battery dying or power outage. Moreover, the NarcLock smart locks can also be retrofitted into an agency’s existing lock boxes, saving them the cost of buying new boxes.
Feel free to read our published article on Healthcare Facilities Today
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