Pain clinics test tool to assess diversion risk

Five pain management clinics in North Carolina and Tennessee are beta testing an assessment tool designed to offer a more complete picture of a patient’s likelihood to abuse or divert opioid medication.

The Risk Assessment of Diversion and Aberrancy (RADARSM) was created by VeriMed, a developer of technologies to generate a more secure supply chain for controlled substances. According to a Dec. 3 news release from the company, RADARSM identifies three specific diversion classifications and six aberrancy categories to assist physicians in assessing risk.

Among VeriMed’s other products is a trademarked drug dispensation technology that provides a timestamp when medication is removed.

“RADARSM provides a snapshot of a patient’s mental health, helping doctors validate those patients who are good candidates for pain medication and are perhaps less likely to abuse or divert prescription drugs,” said beta test participant Michael Trombley, MD, chief medical officer of Pain Management Providers in North Carolina.