KOP Medications

Hi all, I am the DON for a 1200 bed county jail. Our biggest medication headache is, of course, Tylenol, Motrin and an antihistamine. We are researching ways to cut back on having to pass these meds daily. One suggestion is to have a KOP program. The problem in doing this is with security. They don't want the inmates to have "unaccounted for" medications. To order these inmate specific (for bubble cards) is costly, but we need to have a way for the inmate to prove that they should have X amount of medication on them. We thought of forms to give to the inmate, bottles to keep medications in with their name on it... so far, no good suggestions.

I know other jails/prisons do something like this. Can anyone help out with suggestions???

Thanks,

Sue

Our pharmacy has a KOP system that will label each med seperately with bubble pack cards, regardless of cost. The problem is the BON says each inmate must keep his meds in his own locked box, to which only he has the key. Ya, right, like D.O.C. is going to allow the inmate to have a locked box that D.O.C. is locked out of. Not in our wildest dreams! We used to have KOP for lotsa stuff, until the BON made this demand. Now the only things they can self carry is topicals and rescue inhalers.....much against the BON directive though, I might add

What does the BON have to do with a KOP system? The reason for the lock box is to keep other inmates from stealing another inmates meds. Yes, the inmate has a key, but Custody also has a master key that opens all these boxes when necessary. The KOP systems are very effective in many jail and prison settings, as long as you have clearly written policies and procedures. Custody and Medical have to work as a team to make the KOP systems work. I have a good draft for a KOP policy and procedure if you would like a copy? (Send me a private message.)

Also, In most facilities inmates have access to over-the-counter meds through the commissary. Usually there are limits to the amount of meds that an inmate can purchase on a weekly basis from the commissary. The MD approves of the meds on the commissary list.

Interestingly, the LA County Jail actually has these meds in vending machines, which inmates access with their commissary cards. LA County Jail also has a KOP system. They generally give a 2 week supply. With close to 20,000 inmates, there is no way that nurses can be passing out Tylenol, Motrin, etc.

THE SYSTEM IN USE AT OUR SITE IS 1 WEEKS WORTH OF KOPs HANDED OUT IN INDIVIDUALLY BAGGED TIMED AND DATED PACKETS THAT WAY THERE IS NO NEED FOR LOOSE MEDS AND IF HOARDING IS A PROBLEM AEB THE DATES ON THE PACKETS THEN CUSTODY TAKES OVER AND THAT INMATE MOVES TO THE DOT LINES IT IS EFFECTIVE BUT YOU CANT ALWAYS STOP THE HOARDING OR THE DEALING OF PILLS BETWEEN INMATES SO GOOD LUCK ON YOUR SELECTION ON THE KOP PROCESS............. YOU'LL NEED IT