Pharmacists Playing Doctor
My pain doctor told me something very interesting about how he feels that certain pharmacists from Walgreen's are over-stepping their boundaries and trying to play doctor. My doctor even said that the questions the pharmacists are asking him are probably a violation of HIPPA privacy rules.
My doc said the pharmacists have sent him a fax with the following 3 questions, refusing to fill even long-time customers' prescriptions until my doctor has completed the onerous and time-consuming form.
1. The pharmacist faxes my doctor a copy of the script he wrote, asking "Did you really mean to write this"? (I could understand if it were the FIRST time a NEW customer came into the pharmacy---they want to verify that the script is legit. Beyond this, though, it's hard to see a good reason for this).
2. "What is the patient's diagnosis?" (I always thought that was confidential info. I don't know if a pharmacist has the right to know a patient's diagnosis? What if the patient wants to keep their condition private and doesn't want the whole pharmacy to know their diagnosis?).
3. "What other medications have you tried before resorting to these strong painkillers?" (This starts to border on ridiculous. I personally have tried dozens of different non-narcotic medications, so my doctor would be on the phone all day to the pharmacy. This really IS "playing doctor", IMO).
Luckily, MY Walgreen's pharmacist has NOT called or faxed my doctor with these meddling questions, so that's one point in their favor.
I personally have not been affected by this, but my pain doctor told me that many pharmacists from Walgreen's are doing this. My doc is telling his patients to find another pharmacy, because he doesn't have time to keep answering all of these intrusive questions. He needs to spend his time with his PATIENTS, NOT on the phone to the pharmacy answering intrusive questions that are probably a violation of the patient's HIPPA rights.
I thought people here would find this interesting. And I'm sure that Walgreen's isn't the only offender. I think that a lot of the chain pharmacies are doing various things to try to restrict pain meds and "crack down" on people who are taking pain meds. It is SO wrong! Pharmacists need to do THEIR job, NOT the job of the doctor.
Best Wishes,
Eva
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