Palomar Health, a health care system based in Escondido, has agreed to pay $250,000 to settle allegations that fentanyl was being diverted from one of its facilities. The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the settlement on Monday, stating that an employee may have diverted controlled substances, triggering a government investigation.
The investigation revealed that “numerous vials” of fentanyl were diverted from automated medication dispensing machines at Palomar’s Cardiac Catheterization Lab in Escondido over a period of five months. In addition, unused fentanyl was found to have not been properly disposed of, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Palomar Health did not offer an immediate response to inquiries about the settlement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that the settlement was agreed upon without any admission of liability. As part of the settlement, Palomar Health will pay $250,000 and commit to enhancing security measures as well as implementing specialized training on the appropriate handling of controlled substances.
