This document summarizes a case where a paramedic pleaded guilty to tampering with a morphine supply. The paramedic confessed to starting to tamper with drugs in 2014 following a medical procedure. In early 2015, the ambulance company discovered issues with their morphine supply and notified authorities. An investigation revealed the paramedic had given patients water instead of pain medication on multiple occasions. He ultimately pleaded guilty to three counts of tampering with controlled substances. The case highlights the importance of secure drug storage, inventory control, and monitoring personnel for signs of diversion to protect patients and the agency.
Presentation by Kirby Farrell, President and CEO, Broad Axe Technology Partners and Andy Archer, MSc, MBA, Vice President, Broad Axe Technology Partners
Defining medical errors, types of medical errors, statistics of medical errors in USA and Europian Union WHO 2017, and their effects, the 10 medical errors that have changed medical practice, the 10 medical errors that kill the patient in the hospital
Presentation by Kirby Farrell, President and CEO, Broad Axe Technology Partners and Andy Archer, MSc, MBA, Vice President, Broad Axe Technology Partners
Defining medical errors, types of medical errors, statistics of medical errors in USA and Europian Union WHO 2017, and their effects, the 10 medical errors that have changed medical practice, the 10 medical errors that kill the patient in the hospital
PEER (Professionalism and Ethics Education for Residents) Project sponsored and organized by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCHS).
Definitions of terminology related to Medical Error (ME)
Levels of severity of medical error
Types & Examples of medical errors
Causes of ME
Disclosure of ME
Prevention of Medical Error
A voluntary, Internet-based reporting system for neonatal healthcare providers recently revealed that a broad range of medical errors occur in the NICU.[3] The most frequent error categories reported were wrong medication, dose, schedule, or infusion rate (including nutritional agents and blood products; 47%); error in administration or method of using a treatment (14%); patient misidentification (11%); other system failure (9%); error or delay in diagnosis (7%); and error in the performance of an operation, procedure, or test (4%). Errors in patient misidentification, for example, were a common cause of feeding a mother's expressed breast milk to the wrong baby.[3]
Unsafe medication is a leading cause of harm, most of it preventable, in health care systems across the world. Medication incidents occur when weak medication systems and/or human factors such as fatigue, poor environmental conditions or staff shortages affect prescribing, transcribing, dispensing, administration and monitoring practices, which can then result in severe harm, disability and even death.
Full Details: https://goo.gl/gCQ64V
Medication therapy is becoming increasingly more complex as new drugs are developed and more therapeutic targets are elucidated. In addition, polypharmacy (≥5 scheduled medications) has become exceedingly common in geriatric patients and in patients with chronic disease states. As the complexity of drug therapy and the number of medications increase, patients are at a high risk for medication errors and adverse drug events (ADEs), or injuries resulting from medication. The type of adverse events may be associated with professional practices, healthcare products, procedures, and systems including prescription, communication through instructions, drug labeling, packaging and nomenclature, reformulation, dissolution, distribution, administration, education, monitoring, and use. Classification and evaluation of medication errors according to their importance may constitute an important factor for process improvement in order to render the administration of medicines as safe as possible. In hospitals, medication errors occur at a rate of about one per patient per day. A dispensing error is one made by pharmacy staff when distributing medications to nursing units or directly to patients in an ambulatory-care pharmacy; the error rates for doses dispensed via the cart-filling process range from 0.87% to 2.9%. Technology has grown to be a constituent part of medicine these days. A few advantages that technology can supply are categorized as follows: the assisting of communication between clinicians; enhancing medication safety; decreasing potential medical errors and adverse events; rising access to medical information and encouraging patient-centered healthcare. The aim of this article is to provide a compendious literature review regarding Medication errors
PEER (Professionalism and Ethics Education for Residents) Project sponsored and organized by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCHS).
Definitions of terminology related to Medical Error (ME)
Levels of severity of medical error
Types & Examples of medical errors
Causes of ME
Disclosure of ME
Prevention of Medical Error
A voluntary, Internet-based reporting system for neonatal healthcare providers recently revealed that a broad range of medical errors occur in the NICU.[3] The most frequent error categories reported were wrong medication, dose, schedule, or infusion rate (including nutritional agents and blood products; 47%); error in administration or method of using a treatment (14%); patient misidentification (11%); other system failure (9%); error or delay in diagnosis (7%); and error in the performance of an operation, procedure, or test (4%). Errors in patient misidentification, for example, were a common cause of feeding a mother's expressed breast milk to the wrong baby.[3]
Unsafe medication is a leading cause of harm, most of it preventable, in health care systems across the world. Medication incidents occur when weak medication systems and/or human factors such as fatigue, poor environmental conditions or staff shortages affect prescribing, transcribing, dispensing, administration and monitoring practices, which can then result in severe harm, disability and even death.
Full Details: https://goo.gl/gCQ64V
Medication therapy is becoming increasingly more complex as new drugs are developed and more therapeutic targets are elucidated. In addition, polypharmacy (≥5 scheduled medications) has become exceedingly common in geriatric patients and in patients with chronic disease states. As the complexity of drug therapy and the number of medications increase, patients are at a high risk for medication errors and adverse drug events (ADEs), or injuries resulting from medication. The type of adverse events may be associated with professional practices, healthcare products, procedures, and systems including prescription, communication through instructions, drug labeling, packaging and nomenclature, reformulation, dissolution, distribution, administration, education, monitoring, and use. Classification and evaluation of medication errors according to their importance may constitute an important factor for process improvement in order to render the administration of medicines as safe as possible. In hospitals, medication errors occur at a rate of about one per patient per day. A dispensing error is one made by pharmacy staff when distributing medications to nursing units or directly to patients in an ambulatory-care pharmacy; the error rates for doses dispensed via the cart-filling process range from 0.87% to 2.9%. Technology has grown to be a constituent part of medicine these days. A few advantages that technology can supply are categorized as follows: the assisting of communication between clinicians; enhancing medication safety; decreasing potential medical errors and adverse events; rising access to medical information and encouraging patient-centered healthcare. The aim of this article is to provide a compendious literature review regarding Medication errors
POLST Skills Development - Sharmon Figenshaw and Bruce Smithwwuextendeded
POLST Skills Development – Sharmon Figenshaw, ARNP, RN; and Bruce Smith, MD
Presented at the 2015 Palliative Care Summer Institute conference at Bellingham Technical College
this power point help new clinical pharmacist to start practice ,understand the concepts of clinical pharmacy and give them all the tools to give good care to the patient
pharmacist patient education and counseling Hemat Elgohary
Lack of sufficient knowledge about their health problems and medications cause of patients’ non-adherence to their pharmaco-therapeutic regimens and monitoring plans so pharmacist need to have skills and knowledge to improve patient adherence and reduce medication-related problems
Acute scrotum is a general term referring to an emergency condition affecting the contents or the wall of the scrotum.
There are a number of conditions that present acutely, predominantly with pain and/or swelling
A careful and detailed history and examination, and in some cases, investigations allow differentiation between these diagnoses. A prompt diagnosis is essential as the patient may require urgent surgical intervention
Testicular torsion refers to twisting of the spermatic cord, causing ischaemia of the testicle.
Testicular torsion results from inadequate fixation of the testis to the tunica vaginalis producing ischemia from reduced arterial inflow and venous outflow obstruction.
The prevalence of testicular torsion in adult patients hospitalized with acute scrotal pain is approximately 25 to 50 percent
Report Back from SGO 2024: What’s the Latest in Cervical Cancer?bkling
Are you curious about what’s new in cervical cancer research or unsure what the findings mean? Join Dr. Emily Ko, a gynecologic oncologist at Penn Medicine, to learn about the latest updates from the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) 2024 Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer. Dr. Ko will discuss what the research presented at the conference means for you and answer your questions about the new developments.
Couples presenting to the infertility clinic- Do they really have infertility...Sujoy Dasgupta
Dr Sujoy Dasgupta presented the study on "Couples presenting to the infertility clinic- Do they really have infertility? – The unexplored stories of non-consummation" in the 13th Congress of the Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction (ASPIRE 2024) at Manila on 24 May, 2024.
Prix Galien International 2024 Forum ProgramLevi Shapiro
June 20, 2024, Prix Galien International and Jerusalem Ethics Forum in ROME. Detailed agenda including panels:
- ADVANCES IN CARDIOLOGY: A NEW PARADIGM IS COMING
- WOMEN’S HEALTH: FERTILITY PRESERVATION
- WHAT’S NEW IN THE TREATMENT OF INFECTIOUS,
ONCOLOGICAL AND INFLAMMATORY SKIN DISEASES?
- ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ETHICS
- GENE THERAPY
- BEYOND BORDERS: GLOBAL INITIATIVES FOR DEMOCRATIZING LIFE SCIENCE TECHNOLOGIES AND PROMOTING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE
- ETHICAL CHALLENGES IN LIFE SCIENCES
- Prix Galien International Awards Ceremony
Recomendações da OMS sobre cuidados maternos e neonatais para uma experiência pós-natal positiva.
Em consonância com os ODS – Objetivos do Desenvolvimento Sustentável e a Estratégia Global para a Saúde das Mulheres, Crianças e Adolescentes, e aplicando uma abordagem baseada nos direitos humanos, os esforços de cuidados pós-natais devem expandir-se para além da cobertura e da simples sobrevivência, de modo a incluir cuidados de qualidade.
Estas diretrizes visam melhorar a qualidade dos cuidados pós-natais essenciais e de rotina prestados às mulheres e aos recém-nascidos, com o objetivo final de melhorar a saúde e o bem-estar materno e neonatal.
Uma “experiência pós-natal positiva” é um resultado importante para todas as mulheres que dão à luz e para os seus recém-nascidos, estabelecendo as bases para a melhoria da saúde e do bem-estar a curto e longo prazo. Uma experiência pós-natal positiva é definida como aquela em que as mulheres, pessoas que gestam, os recém-nascidos, os casais, os pais, os cuidadores e as famílias recebem informação consistente, garantia e apoio de profissionais de saúde motivados; e onde um sistema de saúde flexível e com recursos reconheça as necessidades das mulheres e dos bebês e respeite o seu contexto cultural.
Estas diretrizes consolidadas apresentam algumas recomendações novas e já bem fundamentadas sobre cuidados pós-natais de rotina para mulheres e neonatos que recebem cuidados no pós-parto em unidades de saúde ou na comunidade, independentemente dos recursos disponíveis.
É fornecido um conjunto abrangente de recomendações para cuidados durante o período puerperal, com ênfase nos cuidados essenciais que todas as mulheres e recém-nascidos devem receber, e com a devida atenção à qualidade dos cuidados; isto é, a entrega e a experiência do cuidado recebido. Estas diretrizes atualizam e ampliam as recomendações da OMS de 2014 sobre cuidados pós-natais da mãe e do recém-nascido e complementam as atuais diretrizes da OMS sobre a gestão de complicações pós-natais.
O estabelecimento da amamentação e o manejo das principais intercorrências é contemplada.
Recomendamos muito.
Vamos discutir essas recomendações no nosso curso de pós-graduação em Aleitamento no Instituto Ciclos.
Esta publicação só está disponível em inglês até o momento.
Prof. Marcus Renato de Carvalho
www.agostodourado.com
These simplified slides by Dr. Sidra Arshad present an overview of the non-respiratory functions of the respiratory tract.
Learning objectives:
1. Enlist the non-respiratory functions of the respiratory tract
2. Briefly explain how these functions are carried out
3. Discuss the significance of dead space
4. Differentiate between minute ventilation and alveolar ventilation
5. Describe the cough and sneeze reflexes
Study Resources:
1. Chapter 39, Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology, 14th edition
2. Chapter 34, Ganong’s Review of Medical Physiology, 26th edition
3. Chapter 17, Human Physiology by Lauralee Sherwood, 9th edition
4. Non-respiratory functions of the lungs https://academic.oup.com/bjaed/article/13/3/98/278874
NVBDCP.pptx Nation vector borne disease control programSapna Thakur
NVBDCP was launched in 2003-2004 . Vector-Borne Disease: Disease that results from an infection transmitted to humans and other animals by blood-feeding arthropods, such as mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas. Examples of vector-borne diseases include Dengue fever, West Nile Virus, Lyme disease, and malaria.
These lecture slides, by Dr Sidra Arshad, offer a quick overview of physiological basis of a normal electrocardiogram.
Learning objectives:
1. Define an electrocardiogram (ECG) and electrocardiography
2. Describe how dipoles generated by the heart produce the waveforms of the ECG
3. Describe the components of a normal electrocardiogram of a typical bipolar leads (limb II)
4. Differentiate between intervals and segments
5. Enlist some common indications for obtaining an ECG
Study Resources:
1. Chapter 11, Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology, 14th edition
2. Chapter 9, Human Physiology - From Cells to Systems, Lauralee Sherwood, 9th edition
3. Chapter 29, Ganong’s Review of Medical Physiology, 26th edition
4. Electrocardiogram, StatPearls - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549803/
5. ECG in Medical Practice by ABM Abdullah, 4th edition
6. ECG Basics, http://www.nataliescasebook.com/tag/e-c-g-basics
1. Wisconsin Department of Health Services
Division of
Suzanne Martens, MD, FACEP, FAEMS, MPH, EMT
WI EMS/Trauma Medical Director
Paramedic Systems of WI 2017
4. Reminder of Just Culture
4
Assume Good Intent
Just Culture – Not Blame. Also not carefree.
A just culture has zero tolerance for reckless behavior.
5. Since Last Year….
5
New slide background!
Working towards easier legal name change
Elite QA reports to follow advanced skills and interfacility
transfers
PAC/EMS Board updates
6. PAC Projects/Updates
6
Expanded pressor recommendations
Dopamine, Epi, Norepi, Vasopressin, Phenylephrine
Push-dose pressor option
Defining minimum meds/skills for Paramedic
Will continue for other scope levels
Example of using Elite to define med use/need
Support of the CARES registry
Elite QA problems
8. Suggestions from the Section
8
Stay within Scope of Practice
DEA certification current?
With agency address and Medical Director
Review your Op Plan; have another person look at it
Special Events need to be added to the Op Plan
If recurring, list as such and save time/work
What is your QA/CQI plan?
Check Medications use
If not using them, just an added cost to stock and maintain them
Medical Directors need E-licensing accounts
RN/PA/Physician as staff need E-licensing accounts
10. Additional Suggestions
10
Recheck the extent of your agency’s scope of practice
An agency CANNOT perform an interfacility transport unless
the 911 response is covered
The Bedside Report is NOT a substitute for actual training
and Op Plan updates
11. Topics to Consider in Protocols
11
EMR-EMT ambulance staffing
Selective Spinal Immobilization/Spinal Motion Restriction
D10 instead of D50
IM Epi
Highly potent Opioid considerations, planning, media-driven
hysteria
Not “Narcan resistant” … any more than a large fire is
“water resistant”
13. Assisted Prescribed Emergency Medications
with Medical Control Contact (Adult/Peds)
13
Background
More people are being treated as an out-patient or with home
care
EMS will encounter more people with complex medications
The Physicians Advisory Committee (PAC) acknowledged
that this scenario will become more frequent; the exact list of
medications cannot be maintained as current
Protocol was not officially posted
14. Assisted Prescribed Emergency Medications
with Medical Control Contact (Adult/Peds)
14
Reference:
Treating Patients with Immediately Life-Threating Conditions Requiring
Previously Prescribed Medications Not Routinely Carried by EMS,
Prehospital Emergency Care, 21:1, 86-87
The NAEMSP® believes:
State and/or local entities with jurisdictional authority to regulate EMS
practice in a specific area of service should enact regulations that enable
EMS providers to assist with administering emergency prescribed
medications carried by a patient via routes of delivery that are:
1) within the provider’s scope of practice; and
2) approved/allowed by the jurisdictional authority that governs the area in
which the EMS provider is giving care.
15. Assisted Prescribed Emergency Medications
with Medical Control Contact (Adult/Peds)
15
To provide guidelines and authorization for the use of
emergency medications not commonly used. For emergency
use only. This protocol is not to be used for interfacility
transfers.
The patient must exhibit the signs and symptoms for which
the medication is prescribed.
Medical Control must be contacted and approve the use
of the medication.
16. Assisted Prescribed Emergency Medications
with Medical Control Contact (Adult/Peds)
16
EMR / EMT / AEMT / INTERMEDIATE / PARAMEDIC
Routine Medical Care
Other treatments will be in accordance with protocols particular
to presentation.
May allow patient/caregiver/school healthcare giver to
administer medication(s) by mouth, rectally, intranasally or
injection.
The route is the most pertinent consideration. Assist the pt.
17. Assisted Prescribed Emergency Medications
with Medical Control Contact (Adult/Peds)
17
Identify the medication(s) that is requested by patient, patient’s
caregivers or school official(s)
Patient, Caregiver or Schools must provide the medication(s) to be administered
Patient, Caregiver or Schools must provide a written copy of the physician order and care
plan for attachment to the patient care report
This documentation by the patient’s primary physician should list the following:
Name of the patient
Name of the physician
Document must be signed by the physician
Contact phone number of the physician
Name of medication(s)
Signs and symptoms for which the medication(s) is/are prescribed
Dosage of the medication(s)
Number of repeat doses of the medication(s)
Route(s) of administration(s)
Potential side effects of the medication(s)
18. Assisted Prescribed Emergency Medications
with Medical Control Contact (Adult/Peds)
18
Contact Medical Control to see if the medication(s) may be
given and to discuss any issues regarding administration.
As long as the provider and the service have the “Medication
Administration Route” for the patient’s medication within their
scope of practice, they may administer the drug by that route
with Online Medical Control Approval.
19. Assisted Prescribed Emergency Medications
with Medical Control Contact (Adult/Peds)
19
Copies of the care plan and physician order must be attached
to the patient care report
If the medication(s) is/are not administered, documentation
must include reasons for withholding
Whenever medication is administered under these
circumstances, transport is mandatory [emphasis added]
20. Assisted Prescribed Emergency Medications
with Medical Control Contact (Adult/Peds)
20
Examples of conditions needing rare medication administration:
Adrenal Crisis
Indications:
Patient has a known history of adrenal insufficiency or Addison’s disease.
Presents with signs and symptoms of adrenal crisis including any or some of
the following: Pallor, headache, weakness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting,
hypotension, hypoglycemia, heart failure, decreased mental status, or
abdominal pain.
Assist with administration of patient’s own hydrocortisone (Solu-Cortef) in
its prescribed dosage.
Typical dosages are 100 mg IV or 1-2 mg/kg pediatric dosage maximum
of 100 mg or sometimes:
0-3 years old: 25 mg IV
3-12 years: 50 mg IV
12 years and older: 100 mg IV
21. Assisted Prescribed Emergency Medications
with Medical Control Contact (Adult/Peds)
21
Examples of conditions needing rare medication
administration:
Hemophilia- Need Blood Factor concentrates when traumatic
injured or spontaneously bleeding
22. Assisted Prescribed Emergency Medications
with Medical Control Contact (Adult/Peds)
22
Emphasis:
Assist people with emergency home-use medications
The medications are prescribed and dosed for them
Need to deliver via route within scope/skill
23. Assisted Prescribed Emergency Medications
with Medical Control Contact (Adult/Peds)
23
Good description of urgency and impact:
“I will be in the living room, right inside the patio doors. I may be
laying on the carpet or tile. I will have a ziplock bag in my arms.
This bag will have the Solu-Cortef vial, current medical
information and emergency contacts.”
“I will need an IV started, and aggressive (push) volume
replacement (dextrose 5% in normal saline solution is the best).”
This is where we described the procedure for an IO and she
agreed to it.
24. Assisted Prescribed Emergency Medications
with Medical Control Contact (Adult/Peds)
24
Good description of urgency and impact:
The Solu-Cortef needs to be injected into the IV, not
intramuscular.
“At this point of my adrenal crisis, intramuscular seems to have
little to no effect, and I have a significantly more effective
response to IV administration.”
“The quicker I get the Solu-Cortef and fluids, the quicker I will
stabilize. Delays lead to weeks or months long recovery time for
me. More delays could cascade into my death.”
25. Assisted Prescribed Emergency Medications
with Medical Control Contact (Adult/Peds)
25
“I will be confused, agitated, extremely fatigued, weak, crying,
dehydrated and nauseous. I will have vomited already.”
“My blood pressure may be high, as I will have already taken
hydrocortisone orally in order to try and ward off the adrenal
crisis. I may have tried to give myself a intramuscular Solu-
Cortef injection, to try and buy some time.”
Whether I did or not does not change the steps listed above.
“I will understand very little of what is said to me, and I will
remember next to nothing of the previous hours and the hours
to come.”
26. Assisted Prescribed Emergency Medications
with Medical Control Contact (Adult/Peds)
26
The best and only way to resolve all of this is the Solu-Cortef
and fluids.
“Anti-nausea medication or calming medication will have no
effect, and has proven to make things worse for me.”
27. Assisted Prescribed Emergency Medications
with Medical Control Contact (Adult/Peds)
27
I have attached a handout about adrenal insufficiency from a
Texas EMS continuing education program.
Adrenal Insufficiency: Considerations for the Prehospital
Provider; Texas EMS Magazine May/June 2013
30. Tips from the DEA Office
30
The latest legislation is still pending
31. Tips from the DEA Office
31
The DEA certificate is the responsibility of the Physican
Medical Director
Check the counts
Check the orders
Extra orders have been processed by Service Directors
Do your own application and keep your own information
False DEA certificates have been obtained by Service Directors
No one wants to be suspicious or feel betrayed, especially in
community or volunteer agencies
32. Tips from the DEA Office
32
Take care in processing controlled substances
Never have only one person handling the transactions
Ordering
Stocking
Accountability
Waste
‐ MUST be witnessed
‐ Simply squirting on the bay floor or dirt outside NOT adequate
‐ MUST render unusable and unretrievable
‐ Destroyed versus Reverse Distribution
33. My Additional Comment: Biennial Inventory
33
Narcotic Treatment Programs Best Practice Guideline PART 6
RECORDKEEPING
DEA requires that NTPs keep a record of all medication received, dispensed,
administered, and destroyed. In addition, DEA requires that NTPs retain all
records for two years from the date of execution….
DEA requires that NTPs conduct an initial inventory of all stocks of controlled
substance medications on hand on the date that the NTP begins operations. It is
also required that, at least once every two years, each NTP conduct and
document a physical inventory (called a "biennial inventory") of the medication
on hand. These inventories must include all forms of medication on hand (i.e.,
liquid, tablet, diskette, or powder) as well as the quantity and strength of each
medication.
https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/manuals/narcotic/part6/
My Trick or Treat is the last week of October. Choose your own.
34. Paramedic Pleads Guilty
to Tampering with Morphine Supply
34
My comments
Considerations beyond pain management for harmful
outcomes to patients:
Infectious Disease
Insurance fraud
DEA investigation
Loss of community trust
Loss of contracts
Loss of internal trust within the agency
36. Future Projects
36
EMS Example Protocol updates based on the National Model
EMS Clinical Guidelines, Version 2
373-page document courtesy of NASEMSO
Evidence-Based Guidelines [Connecticut]
Minimum requirements for each scope
Update in controlled substances document to reflect new
requirements based on legislation
Disposal vs Reverse Distribution guidelines
37. Future Projects
37
Medical Director exit interviews
Elite reports
Trends in medication use
Trends in chief complaint/call type
Safety check for IFTs, Emergent Transports
Advanced airway management safety check
Considerations for using AHLS guidelines/medications at the
Paramedic (or as appropropriate) level
MCI/regional event considerations
39. Paramedic Pleads Guilty
to Tampering with Morphine Supply
39
Reported by EMS World on Sept 15, 2017 [excerpts]
40. Paramedic Pleads Guilty
to Tampering with Morphine Supply
40
Reported by EMS World on Sept 15, 2017 [excerpts]
A regional ambulance district is defending its security
procedures after revelations that a former paramedic took
painkilling drugs and gave vials of water to patients who
needed pain relief.
The ambulance district issued a statement that it was "proud
of the fact" that its inventory control and drug security
procedures helped catch the problem.
41. Paramedic Pleads Guilty
to Tampering with Morphine Supply
41
The paramedic confessed that he started tampering with
drugs in March 2014, following a tonsillectomy.
The ambulance chief told investigators he first learned of a
problem with the morphine supply on Jan. 30, 2015.
Special agents with the Food and Drug Administration
[presumed typo: not FDA, but DEA] were notified of a
possible drug tampering situation about five weeks later, on
March 4, 2015.
42. Paramedic Pleads Guilty
to Tampering with Morphine Supply
42
There were other signs that something was amiss.
Federal court documents show that Comstock was nearly two
hours late for a training session on Feb. 21, 2015.
"The captain stated Comstock was still in his bunk sleeping"
"For 10 minutes, they knocked on his door with no answer.
Eventually, Comstock responded but appeared very groggy
and could not recall how long he was asleep.“
43. Paramedic Pleads Guilty
to Tampering with Morphine Supply
43
The chief ordered a urine analysis, but it did not appear to
test for fentanyl or morphine, according to the plea
agreement.
Those were the two drugs at the center of the investigation.
44. Paramedic Pleads Guilty
to Tampering with Morphine Supply
44
Bethany NTA employees told federal investigators that they
had heard Comstock was suspected of drug tampering in
Gallatin, Missouri, according to the plea agreement.
45. Paramedic Pleads Guilty
to Tampering with Morphine Supply
45
Ultimately, Comstock pleaded guilty to three counts of
tampering with fentanyl and morphine with what federal
charges described as "reckless disregard for the risk that
another person would be placed in danger of death or bodily
injury."
There was no indication in court documents that Comstock's
actions caused long-term harm to patients.
Comstock admitted that on two occasions he personally
treated hip fracture patients who were supposed to receive
pain relief but instead received vials of water.
46. Paramedic Pleads Guilty
to Tampering with Morphine Supply
46
My comments
Considerations beyond pain management for harmful
outcomes to patients:
Infectious Disease
Insurance fraud
DEA investigation
Loss of community trust
Loss of contracts
Loss of internal trust within the agency
47. Paramedic Pleads Guilty
to Tampering with Morphine Supply
47
He told federal authorities he tampered with drugs on three
different dates in 2015 but that he had "tampered with drugs
on all the ambulances" prior to March 23 of that year.
48. Paramedic Pleads Guilty
to Tampering with Morphine Supply
48
Comstock started working for the Gallatin ambulance
company in 2013 and left voluntarily June 2014.
He stopped by the Gallatin office on two occasions in
February of 2015. After both instances, employees noticed
signs of tampering to vials of fentanyl.
Shortly after that, federal agents installed surveillance
equipment at the Bethany ambulance building and placed a
camera on an ambulance that was taken out of service.
49. Paramedic Pleads Guilty
to Tampering with Morphine Supply
49
Surveillance equipment
Building
Ambulance that was out of service, but stocked
The very next day, Comstock was viewed entering the
ambulance to access the narcotics cabinet.
50. Paramedic Pleads Guilty
to Tampering with Morphine Supply
50
The director for the Community Ambulance District in Daviess
County, read a prepared statement to the News-Press that
was similar to NTA's statement.
Asked if the problem could have been caught sooner, he said
this: "I just know we take a lot of pride in the fact that we did
catch the problem. We took care of the issue when we came
across it."
51. Paramedic Pleads Guilty
to Tampering with Morphine Supply
51
Because of its cooperation with authorities, NTA ambulance
officials don't believe the district's state and federal licensing
will be in jeopardy.
52. Paramedic Pleads Guilty
to Tampering with Morphine Supply
52
Officials in Bethany, in a statement, said the case illustrates
scale of the opioid epidemic that kills 68,000 people a year in
the United States.
"Unfortunately, the EMS community is not immune to this
tragic epidemic," the ambulance district said.
53. Paramedic Pleads Guilty
to Tampering with Morphine Supply
53
Summary/Discussion
How alert are you to tampering with controlled substances?
You must inform the DEA within 24 hours of suspected
discrepancy or diversion
Numbers/stock versus clinical/field diversion
Discussion on waste versus tested destruction of leftover
medications
"Unfortunately, the EMS community is not immune to
this tragic epidemic," the ambulance district said.