Health
Hospital managers ignored AI alerts tracking nurse drug theft, federal investigation finds
A federal investigation of a California hospital revealed that automated systems detected a nurse stealing fentanyl and morphine, but staff failed to act on the warnings.
The short version
- A Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services investigation revealed that managers at Adventist Health in Bakersfield, California, ignored automated alerts warning of potential drug theft.
- A travel nurse diverted fentanyl and morphine intended for patients for her own personal use, leaving at least one patient in excruciating pain.
- The incident underscores the limitations of artificial intelligence and machine learning software in healthcare settings when human oversight is lacking.
Key facts
- In late September 2024, a travel nurse at Adventist Health in Bakersfield, California, diverted fentanyl and morphine for personal use while documenting that they had been administered to patients.[STAT]
- Patients and family members reported that the nurse was acting strangely, including walking barefoot through the intensive care unit and neglecting patient pain management.[STAT]
- A Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services investigation in November 2024 found that hospital managers ignored alerts from machine learning software designed to track potential drug theft.[STAT]