Opioid abuse amongst anaesthetists: a system to detect personal usage

Substance abuse continues to be a significant problem amongst anaesthetists. We have investigated a run chart methodology for tracking opioid use that may be used to identify potential personal use by noting a change in usage over time. Included in the data set was a record of an anaesthetist who abused opioids. Opioids signed out from the controlled drugs safe were converted into generic units so that opioid use could be compared. These standardised units of usage were plotted against anaesthetists' theatre time. We show, using run charts--a method used in industrial quality control--how abnormal usage could have been detected. The key to the run chart methodology is detection in a change in personal use rather than demonstrating any change compared with departmental averages. More time series data from anaesthetists known to have abused opioids would be required to validate the system.