Don't let this process slip through the cracks when it comes to controlled substance compliance
Veterinary practices face steep penalties for paperwork errors, making proper recordkeeping on controlled substances a non-negotiable aspect of practice management
When it comes to controlled substances and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), compliance is critical. Fines can reach as high as $15,691 per violation, underlining the importance of meticulous documentation. Kelley Detweiler and Peter Weinstein, DVM, MBA, discuss the challenges of DEA compliance and offer practical advice for integrating disciplined recordkeeping into your practice.
Transcript:
Kelley Detweiler: Paperwork, it is always paperwork, which is really all of your required record keeping that falls through the cracks. The scary thing about it is you can still be cited the fine of up to $15,691 per violation. So think about it: when the DEA can look at up to 2 years of records for the current 2-year period, how many issues you could have within your records during that time? It'll make someone's head spin, but it's always where the DEA gets you. It's low-hanging fruit, and it's easy to cite.
The same way that we all had to learn how to balance our checkbooks and do basic math, it’s called discipline and structure. None of us really have the time. It's about making the time, being disciplined and regimented, and making sure that you have people to help you keep up with these things, to run a system of checks and balances as well.
It's never going to be fun, it's never going to take priority over patient care, but it still has to be implemented in the system. I mean, Peter, you were a practice owner for so many years. How did you make time?
Peter Weinstein, DVM, MBA: Well, I think the number one thing to recognize when it comes down to paperwork is that we as veterinarians are mandated to keep medical records on our patients. Our medical records tell the life of our patients in our practices, and our paperwork for controlled substances tells the life of our controlled substances or products within our practice.
So in the same way that we pay attention to telling the story of our patients, we need to tell the story of our products. It’s about attention to detail. And in the same way that we delegate responsibilities for medical record keeping to our team, we can, with a trained team, processes, and the right people, delegate some of the paperwork.
It's not about us doing it all the time—it’s about a collaborative effort to keep up with the responsibilities of logging, reconciling, and maintaining an accurate level of paperwork to meet the expectations of the DEA.
