Controlled substance diversion detection systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10915604-B2
Application number	US-201615294628-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2016
Priority date	Oct 16, 2015
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for identifying and tracking diverters of controlled medications. A system may receive signals indicative of medication dispensing activities by one or more health care providers such as nurses, physicians, or pharmacists. Based on the received signals, the system may determine one or more factor scores for each health care provider. The factor scores may be numerical indicators of potential diversion for corresponding factors related to usage, waste, dosage, or other factors. The factor scores may be combined to determine a total diversion score for each of one or more potential diverters.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for identifying a potential controlled medication diverter, the method comprising:
providing a medication dispensing device comprising a dispensing device interface and configured to automatically monitor dispensing of a controlled medication from the medication dispensing device, the medication dispensing device configured to automatically, based on receiving user input of credentials at the dispensing device interface, capture and associate a time and a user identify of a respective health care provider with each dispensing transaction performed at the medication dispensing device;
receiving, from the medication dispensing device, based on respective credentials received at the dispensing device interface, for a plurality of health care providers, one or more first signals associated with each health care provider who dispensed the controlled medication from the medication dispensing device and whose user identity was captured by the medication dispensing device when the controlled medication was dispensed;
determining, by one or more processors, a plurality of first factor scores based on one or more of the first signals received from the medication dispensing device, wherein each first factor score contributes to a total diversion score associated with one of the health care providers and is based on a different user activity;
identifying, by the one or more processors, from the plurality of health care providers, a plurality of suspected diverters based on an evaluation of the plurality of first factor scores across health care providers for a patient population;
automatically determining, by the one or more processors, in response to identifying a suspected diverter of the plurality of suspected diverters, one or more second factor scores based on one or more respective second signals associated with the identified suspected diverter;
generating and storing, by the one or more processors, respective total diversion scores for the plurality of suspected diverters based on the first and second factor scores associated with each of the plurality of suspected diverters;
generating, by the one or more processors, based on the respective total diversion scores, a graphical summary display including a visual grid that identifies top diverter suspects, from the suspected diverters, together with, for each identified top diverter suspect, a series of graphic indicators representative of the first and second factor scores contributing to the total diversion score associated with the identified top diverter suspect, each of the graphic indicators representing a respective factor score by a color code, wherein the graphical summary display comprises a user interface configure to, when a user selects a respective graphical indicator of the series of graphic indicators, display dispensing transactions performed at the medication dispensing device by the identified top diverter suspect associated with the respective graphical indicator.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a weighted ranking of each first and second factor score; and
wherein the determining the diversion score is further based on the determined weighted rankings of the factor scores.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a notification to an authorized user if a respective health care provider of the plurality of health care providers is determined to be a potential controlled medication diverter.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the graphical summary display comprises:
providing a ranked listing of a group of the plurality of health care providers based on the diversion scores.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein one factor score of the plurality of first factor scores is a total waste score based on one or more factors comprising (i) more waste than normal; (ii) unverified waste; (iii) long delays between vend and waste; (iv) waste of whole doses; (v) vend and waste performed at different med stations; (vi) waste doses with another potential abuser; and (vii) vends of higher dose product that generate higher waste when exact or smaller doses are available, and wherein one factor score of the one or more second factor scores is based on patient record data or caregiver scheduling data.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein one factor score of the plurality of first factor scores is a total usage score based on one or more factors comprising (i) gross vends; (ii) vends for a care area; (iii) vends of a specific drug for a care area; (iv) escalating usage over a reporting period for a care area; (v) distributed automatic dispensing cabinet (ADC) usage; (vi) vend for a discharged patient; (vii) vend at an ADC that does not normally serve a that patient; and (viii) removal of outdates, and wherein one factor score of the one or more second factor scores is based on patient record data or caregiver scheduling data.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein one factor score of the plurality of first factor scores is a total dose score based on one or more factors comprising (i) no administration for a vend; (ii) normal dose-abnormal product; (iii) higher dose at same frequency; (iv) doses higher than vended by other caregivers by frequency; (v) doses patient less and wastes more; (vi) withdrawal from multiple automatic dispensing cabinets (ADCs) for same patient; (vii) premature vend; (viii) vend of oral medication for a nothing by mouth (NPO) patient; (ix) vend of more doses than permitted in an order; (x) pain medication given without pain assessment; and (xi) failure of dose to manage pain, and wherein one factor score of the one or more second factor scores is based on patient record data or caregiver scheduling data.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein one factor score of the plurality of factor scores is a total scheduling score based on one or more factors comprising (i) vends when not on duty; (ii) vends on evenings and nights; (iii) occasional staff; and (iv) weekend vends, and wherein one factor score of the one or more second factor scores is based on patient record data or caregiver scheduling data.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein one factor score of the plurality of first factor scores is a total hardware score based on one or more factors comprising unexpected opens from medical dispensing devices, and wherein one factor score of the one or more second factor scores is based on patient record data or caregiver scheduling data.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein one factor score of the plurality of first factor scores is a total discrepancy score based on one or more factors comprising:
discrepancy incidence on unit;
discrepancy across incidence across units; and
discrepancy by drug.

11. A non-transitory machine-readable medium embodying instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform a method for identifying a potential controlled medication diverter, the method comprising:
causing a medication dispensing device to monitor dispensing of controlled medications dispensed from the medication dispensing device, wherein the monitoring of dispensing includes the medication dispensing device, based on receiving user input of credentials at a dispensing device interface of the medication dispensing device, automatically date or time stamping, and user stamping each dispensing transaction performed at the medication dispensing device, such that each dispensing transaction is associated with a user identity of a respective health care provider and whose user identity was captured by the medication dispensing device when the controlled medication was dispensed;
receiving, from the medication dispensing device, based on respective cred

Assignees

• Carefusion 303 Inc

Inventors

• TRIBBLE Dennis Anthony
• Loebig Scott
• Utech Thomas

Classifications

• G16H40/20 Primary

  for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms · CPC title

• G06F16/24578 Primary

  using ranking · CPC title

• G16H20/13

  delivered from dispensers · CPC title

• G16H70/40

  relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage · CPC title

• G06F16/9535

  Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation · CPC title