Substance Abuse/Diversion of Controlled Substances/HPRP

It is almost inevitable that the pharmacy you work in will be "short" controlled substances. And initially, everyone is a suspect. When a health professional is accused of, or is convicted, of diversion of a controlled substance or being a substance abuser, his/her professional life is altered. If such a matter is handled incorrectly, the consequences may include incarceration, loss of license, expensive legal bills, divorce, long-term loss of employment, loss of professional standing, reputation and substantial costs associate with courts and substance abuse treatment.

All too often, the first time I meet the health professional is after he or she has followed the well-intentioned but grievously erroneous advice given to them by friends, family, co-workers and supervisors.

Never sacrifice the long-term for short-term comfort. Often, in the heat of the moment, health professionals feel so much remorse for their situation that they feel the need to punish themselves. They feel unworthy of holding a professional license. When a health professional acts from that emotional basis, the result is usually a long-term suspension of license and years of unemployment.

If you have a problem in these areas, a consultation with me before you do anything is an intelligent, logical step. There are many occasions when I have intervened early and changed the trajectory of a health professional's entire career and life. Your story does not have to have a tragic ending.

Health Professionals Recovery Program (HPRP) is a progressive concept wherein health professionals who have substance abuse or mental health issues may receive needed treatment without automatically losing their professional licenses. No institution or concept is ever perfect and there are times when a client who is in HPRP needs my help to address treatment issues or even terminate contracts because the treatment is no longer necessary or efficacious in their particular circumstance.