340B Drug Program Audits are on the Rise
The 340B Drug Program allows eligible healthcare facilities, such as community health centers and hospitals, to purchase outpatient drugs at reduced prices. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) oversees this program and provides public reports of audits for participating entities.
In 2011, the US Government Account Office reviewed the 340B program and found shortcomings in HRSA's oversight, despite a growing number of healthcare facilities joining the program. Consequently, in 2012, HRSA began conducting thorough audits to ensure participants met program criteria, like maintaining proper records, not providing drugs to ineligible patients, having systems against diversion, and verifying ongoing eligibility. Notably, there was a significant rise in the number of audits in 2015, with numbers stabilizing at about 200 annually. In 2018 alone, out of 199 audits, 138 entities were found significantly non-compliant with one or more program rules.
Still, using paper-based logs and reports to manage your 340B drug program compliance? There is a better way…
How Does MedServe Help with 340B Audits?
MedServe enhances compliance with 340B medication policies over traditional, manual, paper-based systems, here's how:
Digital Record Keeping: HRSA mandates entities to have auditable 340B program records. MedServe's digital cabinets enable you to easily export these records. Find and extract specific transactions from any date or location with ease.
Tamper-proof Records: MedServe ensures that your records are digital, reducing the risk of tampering seen in paper logs.
Digital 340B Inventory Management with MedServe:
Dispense: Electronically track the exact amount of medication taken by staff for specific patients. Additionally, use two-factor authentication (ID badge and pin code) to secure any bin with a 340B drug.
Return: If excess meds are taken, they can be returned and added back into the inventory digitally.
Waste: MedServe's system can be set up to require a witness for medication wastage. This witness provides their ID or pin, ensuring two digital signatures are recorded.
Restock: Easily record and track any new drugs added to the inventory.
Switch from 340B paper logs to MedServe's electronic reports for:
Transaction date and time.
Actions that were taken with the drugs (dispensed, wasted, returned, etc.).
Specific patient attribution for each drug transaction.
Quantity details for each drug transaction.
Identifying the staff member involved.
Digital signatures for actions needing witnesses.
Real-time inventory updates.