how to report a drug seeking patient

Anyone who wants to report drug activity can contact Crime Stoppers via phone or online. A national tip line is available 24/7, and the program also operates out of local offices. Witnesses to drug crimes can make an anonymous phone call or fill out an online form.

Full Answer

How do I report drug dealing or use?

Crime Stoppers isn’t the only way you can report drug dealing or use. Alternate options include contacting the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) or the Department of Justice (DOJ).

How do you know if someone is a drug seeker?

One of the most common indications that a person may be a drug seeker is when he or she visits your office for the first time with the goal to obtain pain medications. For example, instead of turning to a local provider, they seek out medical care in a town that is 20 to 30 minutes away.

How do we deal with drug-seeking patients?

When dealing with potentially drug-seeking patients, we first need to distinguish between drug craving and pain relief. While intravenous narcotics offer rapid onset and quick relief of pain, they unfortunately also saturate patients’ endorphin receptors and produce a “rush.”

How can I report drug activity anonymously?

Alternate options include contacting the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) or the Department of Justice (DOJ). Both have websites and phone numbers to anonymously report drug activity or submit tips through a hotline. As of March 2019, Crime Stoppers’ efforts have resulted in over 746,000 arrests, clearing out over one million legal cases.1

How do you deal with a drug-seeking patient?

This article describes the steps involved in a systematic approach to identifying drug-seeking patients.Involve your entire team. ... Recognize suspicious behavior. ... Obtain a thorough history of present illness. ... Look for consistency in the exam. ... Conduct appropriate tests. ... Prescribe nonpharmacological treatment. ... Proceed cautiously.

What do doctors consider drug-seeking behavior?

“Drug-seeking behavior” is a widely used, although poorly defined term that refers to a patient's manipulative, demanding behavior to obtain medication. The patient may imply that the only possible solution to a medical problem is a prescription of a controlled (addictive) medication.

How do you identify a drug-seeking patient?

Box 1Indicators of drug-seeking behaviours.Typical requests and complaints. Aggressively complaining about a need for a drug. ... Inappropriate self-medicating. ... Inappropriate use of general practice. ... Resistant behaviour. ... Manipulative or illegal behaviour. ... Other typical behaviours.

Is my patient a drug seeker?

Your patient claims an allergy to all pain medications except the one she/he/they is seeking. Your patient comes telling you the dose, the medication and the quantity he/she/they wants. Your patient doesn't want to listen to anything you have to say. Your patient isn't willing to consider any other treatments.

How do you know if you've been red flagged at a pharmacy?

If you take a prescribed set of drugs each month or have given personal information to a pharmacy, chances are higher that you are Red Flagged. Go to a reputable pharmacy and ask for a dosage of your regular prescribed medication. If you get the medication monthly, go before your regularly scheduled visit.

Which is an example of drug abuse?

An example of drug misuse is when a person who can't fall asleep after taking a single sleeping pill takes another pill an hour later hoping that “it'll do the job.” However, it's drug abuse when a person consumes sleeping pills to manage their moods or acquire a “buzz,” or — in worst-case scenarios — to commit suicide ...

What are the top identifiers of non prescribed drug addiction?

Common symptoms of OTC drug withdrawal include:Confusion.Irritability.Agitation.Anxiety.Mood changes.

What does drug seeker mean?

A person who seeks narcotic agents from a physician or other licensed prescriber, either for personal use or to sell.

What are drug seekers?

They could be a person who claims to be from out-of-town and has lost or forgotten a prescription of medication. Or the drug seeker may actually be familiar to you such as another practitioner, co-worker, friend or relative. Drug abusers or "doctor-shoppers" often possess similar traits and modus operandi.

What is a red flag drug?

A red flag is “a term that's come to be used to give examples to pharmacies of things that might indicate or suggest that prescriptions were filled outside the usual course of pharmacy practice,” he said in testimony.

What are DEA red flags?

DEA Red Flags Test The registrant dispensed a controlled substance; A red flag was or should have been recognized at or before the time the controlled substance was dispensed; and. The question created by the red flag was not resolved conclusively prior to the dispensing of the controlled substances.

What does red flag mean at doctors?

Throughout the course of several investigations, certain consistencies have been observed and can serve as “red flags” for medical providers to alert them that the patient may not have a legitimate pain issue but are instead seeking narcotics for illegitimate reasons.

What are the laws that regulate prescription drugs?

There are several international, national, and state laws that attempt to regulate prescription drugs and decrease drug diversion. International treaties have been enacted since 1912. They restrict the production, trade, and consumption of several drugs. 7

What is the CSA?

The Federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA) provides criminal statutes for inappropriate use and prescribing of controlled substances. It also created a system for classifying prescription drugs according to their importance in medical use and their potential for abuse. 7 The DEA is the agency that ensures compliance with the CSA statutes. Among the statutes is a provision regarding prescribing controlled substances to addicts. It is not illegal to prescribe controlled substances to a known addict for the purposes of controlling pain; it is, however, illegal to treat addiction with opioids for the purpose of detoxifying or maintaining an addict outside a licensed Narcotic Treatment Program. The exception to this is physicians who obtain a waiver under the recent Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 (DATA 2000). 3,29 These physicians can then treat opiate addiction with schedule III, IV, and V opioid medications. To qualify for a waiver, the physician has to meet very strict requirements, including subspecialty training in addiction management. The physicians also must attest that they have the capacity to refer addiction treatment patients for appropriate counseling and other non-pharmacologic therapies. Every state also has its own form of a CSA, which can be more restrictive than the federal law. 7 The major differences between state CSAs involve differences in fines and jail time for specific violations. Allegations of over-prescribing controlled substances are the leading cause of physician investigation and actions taken against physicians, which, some argue, has led to the general widespread under-treatment of patients with acute and chronic pain. 7,10

How to avoid falling in the prescription drug trap?

However, there are a few things physicians can do to prevent falling in the prescription drug trap. First, educate the patient. Some patients may not be aware of the dangers of using the medication other than the way it was prescribed.

What is a drug seeker?

Definitions. A drug seeker is defined as a patient who requests the prescription of a legal drug for resale, personal use, and/or family use. Generally, these are non-medical uses of the prescription drug, which refers to a use pattern that exceeds the recommended dose in amount or frequency.

Why do doctors over prescribe?

The American Medical Association published the four Ds on why some physicians over-prescribe: 1 Dated: They have outdated knowledge on drugs, pharmacology, and pain management. They have lax prescription practices. 7 2 Duped: They trust a deceptive or manipulative patient. This is the reason for the highest percentage of inappropriate prescriptions. 7 3 Dishonest: Physicians who prescribe for profit. These should be reported to the respective medical boards. 4 Disabled: Physicians themselves have a psychiatric or substance abuse problem. 3,24

What is HIPAA law?

HIPAA. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) provides federally protected privacy provisions for health information. Physicians, nurses, hospitals, nursing homes, pharmacies, and other health care providers are covered by this statute.

What is the average age for drug seekers?

The most common age group for drug seekers is 24-36 years, followed by those 18-25 years. This pattern follows that of illicit drug abuse in the United States. 1 In a recent study, 50% of the drug seekers were men, with a mean age 34.3 +/- 7.52 years. 5. In terms of ethnicity, whites have twice the rate of prescription drug abuse as blacks ...

What is a psych consult?

And while a psych consult may help support your diagnosis of drug addiction, manipulative behavior or personality disorders, patients can spot a member of the psych team faster than you can. If patients don’t cooperate with a psych service, they may accept counseling from pain management or palliative care services.

What is aspiration pneumonia?

Aspiration pneumonia, line infections (particularly when patients supplement prescribed medicines with substances brought from outside), respiratory suppression and thromboembolism from inactivity are just a few .

What is holding firm against patient requests?

Holding firm against patient requests (or demands) is both tough and delicate. Every text on addiction mentions that manipulative behavior is part of the picture, and that the behavior can range from wheedling and sympathy bids to complaints to administrators and legal threats.

What is a prescription drug monitoring program?

The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, as the database is called, is designed to help health care professionals ferret out potential prescription drug abuse. There is talk of making such a database available nationwide, with states sharing information, although this would take months or years to get off the ground.

When to wean postoperative pain?

When to wean. Postoperative pain usually presents a simple situation. Patients have a clear cause for the pain, and as the incision heals and they become more mobile, you have a definite reason to avoid drugs that could slow down recovery by causing drowsiness and/or constipation.

Can methylnaltrexone help with pruritus?

Instead, studies find that methylnaltrexone can help pruritus without causing either drowsiness or narcotic withdrawal. When to wean. Postoperative pain usually presents a simple situation.

Can hydrocodone lower blood levels?

By the time the next dose is scheduled, patients actually have lower blood levels than they would with an oral drug like hydrocodone. You can avoid wide fluctuations in serum drug levels with patient-controlled analgesia and a basal infusion rate high enough to control pain. That allows you to use smaller bolus doses.

What is crime stoppers?

Crime Stoppers is an effective national program that collects anonymous crime tips. Anyone who wants to report drug activity can contact Crime Stoppers via phone or online. A national tip line is available 24/7, and the program also operates out of local offices.

How many arrests have been made by Crime Stoppers?

As of March 2019, Crime Stoppers’ efforts have resulted in over 746,000 arrests, clearing out over one million legal cases.1.

What is David's new neighbor selling drugs?

David’s new neighbor, Jeff, is selling drugs and he’s worried about what it will do to the neighborhood. David fears for the safety of not only his kids but all the children on the block. He wants to do something—he wants to put a stop to the drug activity before it gets any worse.

What is the number to dial to ensure anonymity?

To further ensure anonymity, callers can dial *67 before calling any agency or organization. This blocks the number of the caller. Reporting activity to the local police is also an option, but anonymity may be harder to keep.

Can a witness make a phone call?

Witnesses to drug crimes can make an anonymous phone call or fill out an online form. What’s more, you can rest easy knowing that all Crime Stoppers workers are trained to protect the caller’s identity and, instead of caller ID, all incoming phone calls are assigned a numerical code.

Is David and Lisa alone?

One thing’s for sure: David and Lisa are not alone. Concerns about personal safety and legal prosecution scare many people away, ultimately leading to them opting to keep drug crimes quiet.

What is the responsibility of a healthcare professional?

As a healthcare professional, you share responsibility for solving the prescription drug abuse and diversion problem. You have a legal and ethical responsibility to uphold the law and to help protect society from drug abuse.

What is the responsibility of a physician to prescribe controlled substances?

You have a professional responsibility to prescribe controlled substances appropriately, guarding against abuse while ensuring that your patients have medication available when they need it. You have a personal responsibility to protect your practice from becoming an easy target for drug diversion.

What does "deceives" mean in medical terms?

States that a prescription has been lost or stolen and needs replacing; Deceives the practitioner, such as by requesting refills more often than originally prescribed; Pressures the practitioner by eliciting sympathy or guilt or by direct threats;

What does "non-narcotic" mean?

States that specific non-narcotic analgesics do not work or that he/she is allergic to them; Contends to be a patient of a practitioner who is currently unavailable or will not give the name of a primary or reference physician; States that a prescription has been lost or stolen and needs replacing;

How to get rid of drug seeking patients?

write prescriptions for limited quantities. "take their word for it" when you are suspicious. dispense drugs just to get rid of drug-seeking patients. prescribe, dispense or administer controlled substances outside the scope of your professional practice or in the absence of a formal practitioner-patient relationship.

What does it mean to be reluctant to give reference information?

Reluctant or unwilling to provide reference information. Usually has no regular doctor and often no health insurance; Will often request a specific controlled drug and is reluctant to try a different drug;

What does "feigns physical problems" mean?

Calls or comes in after regular hours; States he/she's traveling through town, visiting friends or relatives (not a permanent resident); Feigns physical problems, such as abdominal or back pain, kidney stone, or migraine headache in an effort to obtain narcotic drugs;