Doctor Shopping Letter - What Do They Send?

Lsisterskeeper on 30/07/2018 - 10:52

Hi everyone,

I have been trying to provide doctors with information about my sister for some time but of course due to privacy issues I have been unable to get an appointment simply to discuss her.

I think she has now been caught doctor shopping. A GP finally rang the hotline on the weekend and was given a list of the doctors and prescriptions she had been receiving from multiple docs over the last few months.

I rang a PBS number and was told all the prescribing doctors will be notified by letter.

I am just wondering if anyone knows what the letter says and how quickly it is sent out. I have a feeling she has been questioned about it before and is very good at providing cover stories regarding why she has to see doctors in various suburbs etc.

So basically I am hoping someone can tell me what the letter will say and how quickly the other prescribers will be notified?

Thanks in advance.

Health & Beauty

Comments

  • tsunamisurfer on 30/07/2018 - 11:05
    +1

    I don't know what the letter says but thank you for helping prevent the waste of Medicare and PBS money.

    • sisterskeeper on 30/07/2018 - 11:49
      +3

      Thanks for those - she is not committing fraud, just has a number of doctors in various suburbs who all supply her with the same scripts. For some reason the pharmacies don't seem to have a system which picks this up which surprises me.

      The other thing is, I'm not looking to get her into any legal trouble. I just want her to stick with one doctor and find a way to stop living on a steady diet of benzos. She doesn't even realise what a zombie she has turned in to.

      • JimmyF on 30/07/2018 - 12:15
        +4

        she is not committing fraud, just has a number of doctors in various suburbs who all supply her with the same scripts

        Questionable, is using all these drugs or selling them?

        Either way, she is abusing the system by getting more than she should have.

      • HighAndDry on 30/07/2018 - 12:48
        +3

        It may well still be fraud (or a close relative) if she's not disclosing to each of those doctors her current prescriptions with other GPs. And I think that's almost a given, because those GPs would not be giving her these prescriptions if they knew about her other prescriptions.

      • Clear on 30/07/2018 - 15:04

        For some reason the pharmacies don't seem to have a system which picks this up which surprises me.

        They do but it's opt in unfortunately.

      • CMH on 31/07/2018 - 09:03

        Don't want to go into details to show people how it can be done, but there are ways to avoid pharmacies picking up the fact you're doctor shopping.

      • blitz on 31/07/2018 - 11:31

        the pharmacies don't seem to have a system which picks this up which surprises me.

        Privacy, darling.

  • payton on 30/07/2018 - 11:15
    +3

    Hello ghost account, nice to meet you

    I am just wondering if anyone knows what the letter says and how quickly it is sent out.

    Planning to broden drugs one last time?

    • Zedsdeadbabyzedsdead on 30/07/2018 - 11:40

      "Hello ghost account, nice to meet you"

      Who you gonna call?

      • payton on 30/07/2018 - 11:47

        If only druggos can be neatly kept in little boxes out of the way :)

    • sisterskeeper on 30/07/2018 - 12:09

      broden????

      • HighAndDry on 30/07/2018 - 12:49

        No idea how it originated, I think it means "buying/obtaining to resell".

        For what it's worth I don't think that's what you're doing. I don't know if your sister is doing that or not though.

        • Godric on 30/07/2018 - 13:22

          It was from a user named Broden who would purchase items @ bulk that were on discount preventing other people form purchasing/obtaining an item.

          Pre sure that's where it came from

        • HighAndDry on 30/07/2018 - 13:24

          @Godric: Ah, TIL. Thanks.

        • Ughhh on 30/07/2018 - 21:41
          +2

          https://www.ozbargain.com.au/wiki/broden

          Even got his own Wiki

  • Amaris on 30/07/2018 - 11:31
    +3

    It goes out electronically. Almost immediate. There is an alert system (of patients shopping for scripts) on the system doctors use to register/ claim patients. If your (or I mean your sister's ;-) ) name's on it and I suspect it is now, they'll be alerted the moment you register with the practice.

    • sisterskeeper on 30/07/2018 - 12:04
      +2

      Thanks.

      Sarcasm aside that's the information I was after. As far as I'm aware she doesn't go around signing up to new doctors constantly. Just has a number of large bulk billing clinics that she repeatedly goes to and convinces them she needs to have repeat scripts. It is mostly diazapam or similar. She does have anxiety issues, but clearly the bandaid solution is the wrong one.

      Hopefully now if she asks again her genuine regular doctor he will already have the info.

  • JimmyF on 30/07/2018 - 12:15

    So basically I am hoping someone can tell me what the letter will say and how quickly the other prescribers will be notified?

    Why does it matter what it says? She has been blocked/stopped from over supply and now flagged.

    • mbck on 30/07/2018 - 12:43
      +2

      There's more to this story. Methink op is the sister. Now that supply is cut…hmmm

      • JimmyF on 30/07/2018 - 15:57

        Oh I'm sure there is!!!

        I'm wondering if the OP is a lady and was using her 'sisters' details to pump the supply chain with cheap drugs!

  • [Deactivated] on 30/07/2018 - 12:16
    +3

    Drs cant discuss a patient's details, but you can have a one way discussion and share your concerns with the dr, who will not tell you anything but hopefully the dr will discuss it with your sister.

  • AusGP on 30/07/2018 - 18:44

    It's a list of all controlled medications prescribed in a 3 month period from memory. Once a prescription shopper is "identified" on the system, all prescribers over that time period of controlled medications (Schedule 8 and schedule 4) get a notification and a list of what the patient has been dispensed.

    There's also real time monitoring that sometimes works but sometimes doesn't. Hopefully the government will invest in it properly soon

  • onevstheworld on 30/07/2018 - 21:32
    +4

    I'm glad to see your concern and the insight you've got into your sister's issues. Despite being seemingly benign, benzos are very addictive and recovery is a long process after prolonged use.

    BTW I doubt she'll be in any legal trouble. By itself, drug addiction is considered a disease, not a crime. (Obviously drug dealing or crimes committed under the influence are different stories)

    I don't want to alarm you; but do keep an eye out for her in the coming weeks. She's likely to be quite distressed and it will be a risky time for her. Services like Lifeline are always available if you (or she) needs help or advice.

    • [Deactivated] on 31/07/2018 - 11:10

      Thanks for writing this, it’s just what I was thinking.

      I hope OPs sister can get the help she really needs. A lot of GPs are too quick to chuck benzos at anxiety problems instead of taking the time to write up a MHCP so the person can address the problem at its core.

  • mhasan on 31/07/2018 - 15:47

    what is doctor shopping?

    • ozbjunkie on 31/07/2018 - 17:14
      +2

      Going to multiple doctors for multiple prescriptions. Often as a result of addiction to pain killers or sleeping pills, no one doctor will give you enough to satisfy your dependence.

  • bobkin on 02/08/2018 - 22:50

    See if Victoria has something similar to this - provides advice for family members looking to help people with substance use problems

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