I have a hunch about a patient and I cannot prove it!

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Cath Lab, Cardiology,Neuro.

i just started a medical asst job at a neuro. clinic. we see alot of pts with chronic pain, worker's comp, disability approvals, etc.... to make a long story short, over a year ago i moved out of an apartment building in a bad part of town, one reason was my neighbor who has a medical condition and her and her nephews were running a meth lab right next door to me and there chemicals were backing up into my bathroom sink on a daily basis. i saved my $$$ and got the hell out asap. i was getting sick, possibly due to this! anyways fast forward one year later. i get this job, and i was getting an rx out of the controlled substance pile (pt's have to physically pick up their prescriptions). i just happened to notice my former neighbor's name on one of the rx's in pile. i know i can't make note of it to her dr thanks to hippa. she has a hx of drug seeking behaviors, and due to whatever disability she claims to have, my former landlord cannot evict her! i was the one forced to move! i was driving home and putting 2 and 2 together. also her nephews are drug seekers, and it is illegal to provide her meds to them. have you ever been in a situation like this and felt "stuck"? it people like her that screw the medical and disability system and there has to be something to stop people like her to get her hands on the pills people need for legit reasons!:banghead:

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Specializes in LTC, MDS, Education.

You are probably right. But, as you said, you have just started as a Medical Assistant. Trying to prove this will bring you more grief than you can ever imagine. Sad, but true. The docs will soon realize what's up . Good luck in your new career, and concentrate on helping the people you CAN help, and kissing the rest goodbye. :smokin:

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Cath Lab, Cardiology,Neuro.

I just hope I NEVER see her or her nephews in my office! I'll just tell the Office Manager I cannot be around her due to a "conflict of interest".

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Specializes in Developmental and Peds with disabilities.

I know it's frustrating, but a peice of good advice: LEAVE IT ALONE!!! In the medical field, you will have to deal with all kinds of terrible things and most of the time you legally cannot do anything about it. If you tried, action could be brought against you, and then your ex neighbor would win yet again. Even if this neighbor does do meth, as a medical professional you are legally bound to keep quiet unless you are sure without a doubt that his/her habits are going to cause someone physical or mental harm, and usually that someone would have to be a child or elder. I myself as a student nurse have had to deal with some difficult things. One of my first patients was charged with molesting his own daughter, but I have to learn to treat EVERYONE equally. And as for the conflict of interest thing, it may work this time, maybe if you sat your boss down for a one on one, but you have to remember that you still are expected to maintain a professional attitude about some very unpleasant things you will be faced with, and your boss knows that too. Not to be presumptuous, but you never know. Your boss may be totally understanding, or your boss may feel that you don't have the ability to behave professionally when faced with these situations. As for the drug seeking, the doctor will figure it out, and if the neighbor is supplying others, it will come back on them whether it be legally or the fact that this person may actually kill one of the nephews by giving away perscriptions. Karma is real, i have seen it. good luck!

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I also used to work Neuro as CMA and saw abuse of the system on a daily basis. But I can also say that the doctors caught on very quickly in practically every circumstance. I personally would just stay out of it, and be as professional as possible because people who are willing to abuse the system, are not above sabotaging you if they feel you are getting in the way of what they want.

Dont worry, it will come back to bite them. It always does eventually. In the meantime, just document what you can. If they call for refills, provide all the information to the phsycian in your office note, so they dont accidently overlook it (i.e. provide last date filled, quantity, how Rx written, etc).

Good Luck in your new career :)

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Cath Lab, Cardiology,Neuro.

Luckily we have EMR with Office and Phone Notes, SO EVERY LITTLE THING is documented, included last date the Rx was filled. I am going to keep my mouth shut, until then let the universe deal with them! Hopefully she will go on the drug maintenance program, where she needs to provide a urine sample prior to refilling her Rx, and also follow the dosage of the program. The doctors don't play around, one screw up, and no pills for her!

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Specializes in critical care, PACU.

Its not your job to decide who is a drug seeker and who isnt. Even drug addicts have pain and their's can sometimes be less controlled due to tolerance. No matter how annoying a patient might be regarding pain management...no matter how obvious it may seem that they are seeking...its not our job to decide. Our job is to manage the pain the patient says they have as best as we can.

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.

I'll tell you exactly what you can do to where you won't violate HIPAA.

It is pure BS that the landlord cannot evict her because she has a disability.

Having a disability is a protected class but doesn't force a homeowner to provide you a free place to stay....you can evict someone if they do not pay rent. If she is disabled, she can qualify for Section 8 vouchers to pay her rent...if she does not qualify for Section 8, then the system has determined that she is able to secure enough living to pay her own rent.

If you are SURE they are running a meth lab, the call the police department and tell them you are a former neighbor and want to inform them that they have a meth lab in the apartment.

They don't even need a search warrant...they will simply bring a drug dog to the front door and when the dog picks up the scent, that gives them probable cause to search.

If you had done that when you lived there, the landlord can easily evict someone (even WITHOUT a 30-day notice), because committing a felony is an easy reason to get rid of a tenant.

The residue of meth stays in an apartment for years unless it is specifically cleaned for it....some experts claim that it is NEVER safe to live in a place where meth has ever been cooked.

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They don't even need a search warrant...they will simply bring a drug dog to the front door and when the dog picks up the scent, that gives them probable cause to search.

Not to get off topic, but I think this is probably incorrect. Unless the circumstances are exigent, police cannot barge into someone's home and search without a warrant (even if it is an apartment). A car, yes because the legal standard is different. But the Supreme Court, even in its more conservative incarnations, has a long history of recognizing the sanctity of one's home. In fact, even if there is a warrant, police are supposed to "knock and announce" their presence before barging in. However, upon information that a dog picked up a scent outside the door, most courts would likely issue the warrant.

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That is not true, 5 of my family members are in law enforcement. If they bring the dogs, and the dogs smell the drugs, they can go in right then and there. Thats just like schools now a day. If a student is reported on having drugs, they do not let the student know they are coming in to check them, they just go by every locker, and if the dog barks the locker is busted open, if a student is guilty of posession, the student gets arrested. Same with possible drug homes,

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That is not true, 5 of my family members are in law enforcement. If they bring the dogs, and the dogs smell the drugs, they can go in right then and there. Thats just like schools now a day. If a student is reported on having drugs, they do not let the student know they are coming in to check them, they just go by every locker, and if the dog barks the locker is busted open, if a student is guilty of posession, the student gets arrested. Same with possible drug homes,

Thanks for clearing this up. I had a hunch about one of my neighbors too. :confused:

It's an awesome coincidence that you happened to read/post here and that you have 5 members in your family who happen to be in law enforcement; especially in the D.E.A and or K-9 and that you've discussed such search tactics with them. I'm going to do my duty and make a phone call.

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Specializes in NICU.
That is not true, 5 of my family members are in law enforcement. If they bring the dogs, and the dogs smell the drugs, they can go in right then and there. Thats just like schools now a day. If a student is reported on having drugs, they do not let the student know they are coming in to check them, they just go by every locker, and if the dog barks the locker is busted open, if a student is guilty of posession, the student gets arrested. Same with possible drug homes,

Well, I don't have five family members in law enforcement, but the comparison seems flawed to me. I can still remember the section in the student handbook of my high school saying that lockers were school property and, as such, could be searched at any time by school officials. Homes or apartments, on the other hand, are private property; after some quick research, it looks to me like officers are only allowed to conduct a warrantless search of a home if they have reason to believe that evidence will be destroyed during the time it takes to obtain a warrant. Whether or not that's true, my point is, there's no reasonable expectation of privacy that attaches to school lockers.

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