Medical facility agrees to pay $300,000 to settle drug recordkeeping accusations

A hospital in New Hampshire has reached a settlement of $300,000 to resolve accusations of violating federal law concerning inaccurate records of controlled substances, notably opioids, according to the U.S. attorney’s office. The inquiry by the Drug Enforcement Administration at Catholic Medical Center in Manchester revealed that a nurse anesthetist diverted liquid fentanyl and tampered with disposal records. The investigations revealed that the nurse had been taking controlled substances on a daily basis for a year.
The nurse, who admitted to tampering with medical products, interchanged liquid fentanyl intended for a patient with saline and another drug. She is currently awaiting sentencing for her actions. Following a DEA audit, it was discovered that the hospital’s records did not match their actual inventory for seven controlled substances, including fentanyl.
Although Catholic Medical Center did not accept liability, it collaborated with the investigation and implemented significant measures to enhance controls and procedures to prevent future theft and diversion of controlled substances. The hospital expressed its commitment to upholding high standards and maintaining a robust drug diversion prevention program. Upon uncovering the incident, Catholic Medical Center took immediate action by informing federal and state authorities and fully cooperating with their inquiries.