DEA Requests Support to Combat EHR-based Prescription Drug Fraud

[Ashley Pirtle]

Good afternoon,

Please see below and be aware of the increased incidence of electronic prescription drug fraud. To learn more or participate in this initiative with the DEA, please reach out to the contacts below.

Subject: Engage if Appropriate: Drug Enforcement Agency Requests Support to Combat EHR-based Prescription Drug Fraud

To: Voting Members of HSCC Cybersecurity Working Group

Per the subject line, the DEA is requesting our help identifying organizations – particularly EHR/Health IT companies and their /executives/specialists who can partner with DEA about the increased incidence of electronic prescription drug fraud. The key points are:

1. DEA is trying to get the message out that electronic health record (EHR) platforms are being compromised and used to generate fraudulent controlled substance prescriptions (primarily for oxycodone, Xanax, and promethazine with codeine).
2. The names and DEA registration numbers of unwitting medical providers are being used to set up accounts with EHR platforms, which are then used to generate the fraudulent electronic prescriptions being sent to pharmacies nationwide.
3. Hundreds, even thousands, of fraudulent prescriptions can be generated within just one provider’s fraudulently created EHR account in less than one day.
4. The prescriptions are not being paid for by insurance, nor are they being issued to legitimate patients (usually the ‘patient name’ is completely made up). Rather, the bad actors are using people in their drug trafficking networks to pay cash at the pharmacies to pick up the prescriptions. The diverted drugs are then available to be sold on the street.
5. It is our hope that DEA’s outreach efforts will shed light on this drug diversion trend and EHR companies can develop ways to detect fraudulent electronic prescriptions to prevent them from being transmitted to and dispensed by pharmacies.

If you would like to learn more or participate in this initiative, please contact Erin Hager at DEA (copied) directly at erin.m.hager@dea.gov.

Greg Garcia
Executive Director
Health Sector Coordinating Council Cybersecurity Working Group
https://HealthSectorCouncil.org
greg.garcia@HealthSectorCouncil.org
443.510.8641
HSCC LinkedIn

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