Multidisciplinary committee on the abuse of prescription medications

A program for (1) coordinating the care of patients suspected of abusing prescription medications and (2) providing data on the long-term outcomes of these interventions is described. A substance abuse committee composed of physicians, psychologists, pharmacists, and administrators was established to review individual cases of suspected misuse or abuse of medications at a large Department of Veterans Affairs medical center. After reviewing each case, the committee recommended specific actions, such as requesting that the identified medication be restricted from the patient or that the patient receive counseling or treatment for substance abuse. To evaluate the program's effectiveness, the records of the 161 cases referred to the committee between 1981 and 1992 were reviewed. The patient's outcome one year after committee intervention could be determined in 105 cases. Of those, 70 revealed either no evidence of continuing prescription drug abuse or reduced use of the targeted medication in the medical center. Eighteen other patients were no longer receiving care at the institution. A multidisciplinary substance abuse committee helped identify and treat patients suspected of abusing prescription drugs.