3 Tips To Prevent Employee Theft Of Medication In Your Medical Practice
In any business, you unfortunately have to worry about employee theft. However, this problem can be even more prevalent in medical practices. One main thing that you have to worry about in your doctor's office or other medical practice is the theft of medication; this can be particularly common among those who have an addiction to prescription medication or those who are looking for high-value medication to sell for a profit. Luckily, these are a few ways that you can help prevent the employee theft of medication in your medical practice.
1. Install an Access Control System
First of all, you should consider installing an access control system (such as is provided by Murrell Burglar Alarms) in your practice. Keep your medication behind closed doors, and have a security company install an access control system on these doors. Do not use one code; instead, give each employee their own code or use badges or a fingerprint system so that you can keep track of who has entered the room and when.
Using an access control system eliminates medication theft by patients, for one thing. It also deters employees who might otherwise think about stealing because they know that there is an increased chance of them getting caught. Plus, if you feel that something might be going on, it will be easier for you to pinpoint who is responsible.
2. Use Surveillance Cameras
Even if you keep your medication behind closed doors, put surveillance cameras in the room so that employees can be monitored. Review the surveillance camera footage regularly to look for activity that seems inappropriate or strange. Also, make sure that your cameras are in plain sight but are arranged so that they cannot be covered or tampered with. If employees know that they are being watched -- literally -- they will be less likely to be tempted to steal.
3. Have Employees Switch Roles
Don't leave any one person responsible for all of the roles regarding medication. Randomly switch up who is responsible for placing orders, checking in medication and putting it away. This makes it more difficult for employees to orchestrate elaborate plans.
As you can see, it is possible for you to reduce the theft of medication by employees in your medical practice. This is an issue that you should take very seriously, but if you follow these tips and keep an eye out, you can greatly reduce the chances of this type of theft occurring.