It’s Corporate Compliance Week: Report controlled substances concerns

Do you understand the importance of reporting concerns about controlled substances, including possible drug diversion by your colleagues?

Statistics show that 12-16 percent of all health care providers experience a substance abuse problem sometime during their careers. As health care providers, it is understood that addiction is a disease, not a character flaw, and with the instinct to try and protect and care for troubled coworkers, reporting may feel like a cruel thing to do.

However, everyone in the organization must give each other permission to “speak up” and then follow through, because when you report a controlled substances issue, you may actually be saving multiple lives, including those of your coworker, patients and the community at large.

If you suspect that a coworker is diverting drugs or if you have other concerns regarding controlled substances, you should report your concerns in one of five ways:

• Notify your supervisor

• Contact Security (734-936-7890)

• Contact the UMHS Compliance Office (734-615-4400)

• Contact the U-M Compliance Hotline (1-866-990-0111)
• Contact the Office of Counseling and Workplace Resilience (734) 763-5409

Remember, silence is enabling; speaking up saves lives!