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!