Guard Against Durg-Seeking Patients
Scenario: A new patient calls late on Friday afternoon to request just enough pain medication to get her through the weekend. Her medical history has not yet been transferred from her previous clinic, and she firmly states that Vicodin is the only medication that will help her. Her pharmacy is a 50-mile drive from her home address.
Is this patient honest, simply manipulative, or a drug-seeker? It's not always clear.
Drug-buster bill A new bill supported by ISMS and passed by the Illinois General Assembly (S.B. 1983) may assist in identifying drug-seeking patients. It allows pharmacists who have identified a patient being prescribed controlled substances by more than one physician to report the information to the prescribing physicians. |
Every physician wants to effectively manage the pain of every patient who requires it, but doesn't want to ignore the possibility of being the victim of a creative addict. How can you discern whether or not a patient is legitimately seeking drugs for pain control, versus seeking drugs to fuel an addiction? What should you do to protect yourself from liability issues?
An outstanding resource that answers these questions is an educational videocassette (or audio-only CD-ROM) available to ISMIE policyholders. A panel of physician experts educates viewers on:
- Identifying differences between dependence and addiction.
- Monitoring and evaluating patients for drug-related behavior.
- Prescribing controlled substances.
- Realizing the importance of complete and consistent documentation to be in compliance with regulatory agencies.
- Knowing when to seek consultation with specialists regarding your patient's behavior.
Continuing Medical Education credit is available for the study of these materials. To request a copy of the videocassette or CD-ROM, call Maria Marioni at 312-853-1631, or e-mail marioni@isms.org.