Key Objectives:
1) Summarize impact of drug diversion in healthcare settings on public health. 2) Share updated information about states’ and other jurisdictions’ activities to prevent or respond to drug diversion and substitution events. 3) Present and receive feedback on draft toolkit developed by CSTE HAI drug diversion workgroup
Brief Summary:
Drug diversion incidents involving injectable medications in healthcare settings can result in infections from bloodborne pathogens. Between 2004-2014, over 100 patients were infected among nearly 30,000 patients notified and/or recommended for testing for bloodborne pathogens[1]. In 2014, The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) Healthcare-Associated Infection (HAI) Subcommittee convened a workgroup to explore the role of public health programs in preventing and responding to drug diversion in healthcare. Since 2014 the Drug Diversion Workgroup hosted several CSTE round tables and surveyed state and local health departments. Extensive discussions with jurisdictions as well as results from the survey reinforce the need for public health to play an integral role in identification of and response to drug diversion events. The 2015 survey of health jurisdictions identified several needs, including protocols and tools to identify and respond to drug diversion events, a policy toolkit, and more outreach and collaboration across disciplines. As a result, the Drug Diversion Workgroup is developing a toolkit to assist public health in responding to these events;thereby identifying potential outbreaks earlier and preventing patient harm. A draft toolkit will be presented for discussion during this round table session. The toolkit will define practices and methods for organizations to respond to drug diversion events that have potential to cause disease transmission. The toolkit will not address policy nor addiction and recovery resources due to the large scope and limited capacity of the workgroup. The toolkit will address several topics, including: 1) partners to engage, 2) locations where drug diversion may occur, 3) guidance for identification and response with examples from health jurisdictions, 3) guidance and example patient notification resources, 4) other regulatory authorities and legal considerations, 5) after action reports and improving future response activities, and 6) a list of various federal and state resources.
[1] Schaefer MK, Perz JF. Outbreaks of infections associated with drug diversion by healthcare personnel, United States. Mayo Clinic Proceedings.2014; 89 (6).