Record-keeping violations lead to a $2 million fine for a New Hampshire hospital.
Cheshire Medical Center (CMC) was fined $2 million after the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) found they had violated several record-keeping requirements of the Controlled Substance Act (CSA). Are you confident that your organization complies with all controlled substance regulations?
According to an article in MedPageToday, New Hampshire Hospital Lost Nearly 8 Gallons of Fentanyl, CMC discovered that Alexandra Towle, RN, an employed nurse, had been diverting bags of fentanyl beginning in October 2021. The hospital’s investigation found that while Towle had diverted 283 bags of fentanyl, they could not account for an additional 163 bags of fentanyl.
In this article on the DEA’s website Cheshire Medical Center to Pay $2 Million to Settle Allegations of Controlled Substances Act Violations, DEA audits found that CMC had several record-keeping deficiencies. In addition to the fines, the NH Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) disciplined CMC’s chief nursing officer, director of pharmacy, and a pharmacist.