If you’re running a medical clinic or even a veterinary clinic, you may assume you don’t need to invest in narcotic tracking software. Perhaps your organization is very small, or you only handle a few controlled substances. You may think you don’t need a robust system like a hospital or larger medical practice.

But for all healthcare providers who handle narcotics in their practice, clinic narcotic tracking software is a crucial investment for patient safety. It can protect your organization, your employees, and your reputation. Here are 7 reasons narcotics tracking is a must-have.

1. Prevent Diversion

Drug diversion can happen in any field that handles controlled substances, from veterinary practices to EMS to psychiatry and dentistry. If narcotics are accessible to your team, you need to have a tracking system in place, especially for drugs of concern. Healthcare providers who handle controlled substances have a legal and ethical obligation to maintain strict accountability of narcotics.

Now, maybe you rely on a paper narcotic tracking system, but the truth is that those systems are hard to keep organized, leaving you open and vulnerable to drug misuse and drug diversion. Even if you implicitly trust everyone in your workspace, diversion can still occur. The temptation can become too great in stressful environments where people deal with life and death. Even if there isn’t a deliberate diversion from a practitioner, there are still vulnerabilities that need to be protected from.

The other side of protecting against drug diversion is that it protects employees and clinic owners from accusations. If something occurs accidentally due to human error, and you have the right tracking system, you can identify the concern and fix it before it becomes a legal issue or impacts your practice.

2. Avoid Inventory Shortages

There are currently many drug shortages in the United States, with a substantial increase in shortages over the last few years. While there are many reasons for supply concerns—logistics, scarcity of raw materials, manufacturing problems—it comes down to being a dire situation for patients (and their prescribers). Nothing is more heartbreaking than not being able to give someone the medicine they need, especially pain medication or life-saving drugs.

By using a controlled substance and drug tracking system like LogRx, you can keep an eye on inventory levels, note trends and stay up to date on supplies. You’ll be well ahead of any issues or shortages and plan for problems before they occur. LogRx is an affordable solution for tracking and managing inventory.

3. Make Reporting Easy

One of the biggest advantages of using LogRx is that it makes reporting simple and straightforward. Instead of compiling paperwork and trying to decipher notes that were written on the fly, you’ll be able to view everything from the administrative portal. It will save you from trying to piece together what happened in the past year and creating an inaccurate record. The electronic database can help your practice avoid medication errors and get additional information about controlled substance dispensing.

In the portal, you can access the reporting and tracking tools you need to see exactly when and where each controlled substance was administered. You’ll see inventory at a glance, individual details on each drug, and usage data to track trends. Conduct a systematic review with ease and monitor the vital information you need. Reporting and medication compliance are easy with LogRx.

4. Avoid Legal Dangers & Damages

Do you know the dangers of misreporting or failing to track? Narcotics reporting is critical to protecting your practice (and a legal requirement). Failure to report or falsifying reports on controlled substances can lead to legal consequences, including hefty fines, damage to your reputation, and the loss of your license. If you lose track on paper, it can be tough to capture what happened accurately. It’s far better to do it right the first time.

For small organizations, a mistake can cost you your business and reputation. Not only does it put your patients in danger, but it puts your team in danger too. If you’re running on a tight budget, the question isn’t can you afford narcotics tracking software, but can you afford the risks of failing to track?

5. Employees Can Track on the Go

Many people find new software and tracking systems daunting, but LogRx makes it so easy! LogRx is an affordable solution designed by emergency responders and professionals working in EMS, and they know how to simplify the narcotics tracking process, whether they’re working in a clinic, in the field, or on the go. LogRx is a patient care tool that makes field personnel’s job easier by providing an easy-to-scan QR label that works from any device.

LogRx turns your smartphone or tablet into a scanner. Scan the label or each bottle to track from anywhere. LogRx even works when first responders and professionals are out of range from any internet or cell reception. Track as usual, and data fields will upload when you return to a service area. With real-time narcotics tracking, there’s no need to deal with paper logs and the hassle of writing down detailed information about each individual dose–simply scan and track.

6. Identify Trends in Treatments

Part of inventory management is identifying drug treatment trends. LogRx collects data, compiling detailed information in easy-to-follow reports. By monitoring these trends, you can also notice anything unusual. Not only does trend monitoring help you keep the right drugs on hand for your patients, but it helps protect your practice from drug diversion.

You can access reports, charts, and other data from the administrative portal to help you pinpoint exactly what is happening in your organization at any given time. Strengthen your team’s response and guide them with ease while staying current on inventory data.

7. Free-Up Administration

Using narcotics tracking software like LogRx helps free up staff and administration. Make your reporting more efficient and accurate with real-time reporting and easy-to-navigate data. It’s almost like having another staff member to help you manage inventory.

The pressure is on whenever an organization is working with medical needs (whether it’s a medical provider with humans in a clinic, EMS, or a veterinary practice). Administration sets the tone and keeps everything running smoothly. Avoid the major problems of tracking on paper and save yourself stress at reporting time. Lead your team of healthcare professionals by implementing user-friendly narcotics-tracking solutions like LogRx.

If you think LogRx is the solution to your clinic narcotic tracking needs, or if you need technical assistance or have questions, reach out today. We’re happy to help you explore implementation. There’s no need to buy special hardware, and LogRx is an affordable solution to help your organization run even better!