Am I Liable For Prescribing Narcotics???

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Hello everyone,

I was not sure where to post this, but I could use some help, advice, suggestions, etc....please!

I'm a newly practicing pain management doctor. Like many pain management Dr's I prescribe narcotics and am concerned with the growing problem of patients becoming addicted.

Problem: I prescribe a few narcotics to a patient over a period of 2 years. I find out later on, that the patient claims to have become addicted to these narcotics.

My question: Can I be held Liable/responsible for failure to recognize his addiction, not screening urine for signs of possible abuse and not monitoring his blood levels, liver, kidney for possible damage???

The patient was coming in every month for new prescriptions for 2 years and just recently moved to visits every 2 months. We started off with vic's and moved to Norco, then moved to currently giving ms contin 30mg 4xday for break thru and Duragesic patch 200mc every 2 days. The patient looks fine when he comes in. Granted I'm a specialist in pain management and know more about drugs then my patient. Unless he tells me he is having problems, like addiction, how am I to know what's wrong? Could I really be sued?

Please tell me what you think,

DrRosenPM

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

We dont know - this is allnurses.com, not allattorneys.com :)

Seriously - sounds like you need to seek professional advice - and that's probably the only advice we can give you here.

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Harpoon is right. We can't give advice, sorry.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.
Harpoon

:lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

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I thought you'd like that! That's what I think of everytime I see your name!

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Specializes in ICU.

You probabaly could be liable...Let's face it, if your pt wipes poop in a surgical wound that they themselves have picked open, you could still be sued. Like the post above eloquently said, you should probably consult an attorney, being in medicine at all you might want to cosider having one on retainer.

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This is a question for state and federal regulatory boards, medico-legal experts, and peer organizations.

Surely, there is specialty association or forum for pain management docs. They would be in a better position to advise you (or refer you to other sources) than we are.

I wish you well in your quest.

Closing this thread, as we are not able to offer the kind of advice being sought.

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