Palomar Health has agreed to pay $250,000 to resolve allegations that fentanyl was diverted from one of its facilities in Escondido, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Monday.
After the health care system reported to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration that one of its employees might have diverted controlled substances, a government investigation found that "numerous vials" of fentanyl were diverted from automated medication dispensing machines at Palomar's Cardiac Catheterization Lab in Escondido over the course of five months.
The investigation further found that unused fentanyl wasn't properly disposed of, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Representatives with Palomar Health did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the settlement. A statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office said the settlement was reached without any determination of liability.
Along with the $250,000, Palomar Health has agreed to increase security and implement specialized training related to the proper handling of controlled substances, officials said.
