Scary Paranoid Thought

Specialties NP

Published

So as a newly graduated NP something just crossed my mind. If someone knew my name, NPI #or license # and DEA # which I'm sure anyone could easily find out all of those online what would stop them from just fraudulently calling in a narcotic prescription under your name just claiming they're a nurse or something?

Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.

Many states have e-prescribing requirements meaning that you cannot prescribe controlled substances with paper scripts (people also can't just 'call it in'). Rather, it must be done via 2-factor authentication.

You can also check prescription drug monitoring website and see who you prescribed to. Pharmacists also call if they suspect anything out of the ordinary.

3 Votes
18 hours ago, umbdude said:

Many states have e-prescribing requirements meaning that you cannot prescribe controlled substances with paper scripts (people also can't just 'call it in'). Rather, it must be done via 2-factor authentication.

You can also check prescription drug monitoring website and see who you prescribed to. Pharmacists also call if they suspect anything out of the ordinary.

Right, I forgot about that, that now all scheduled meds have to be electronically sent anyway. But what about non-scheduled meds? Couldn't someone easily use your name and info to call in a Lexapro script or something like that? I mean they'd probably have to have some kind of healthcare background so that they knew what to say and a pharmacist wouldn't get suspicious. But how would you even find out if someone was doing that with your name?

Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.
16 hours ago, paramedic-RN said:

Right, I forgot about that, that now all scheduled meds have to be electronically sent anyway. But what about non-scheduled meds? Couldn't someone easily use your name and info to call in a Lexapro script or something like that? I mean they'd probably have to have some kind of healthcare background so that they knew what to say and a pharmacist wouldn't get suspicious. But how would you even find out if someone was doing that with your name?

We e-prescribe for all meds. If someone's doing that, they're committing the crime and it's their problem. There are call logs to trace, and video cameras in the pharmacy. It's also incredibly unlikely. Once you start working you'll be too busy to worry about it.

3 hours ago, umbdude said:

We e-prescribe for all meds. If someone's doing that, they're committing the crime and it's their problem. There are call logs to trace, and video cameras in the pharmacy. It's also incredibly unlikely. Once you start working you'll be too busy to worry about it.

But if someone was doing that with your name, how would you know? Is there any database you can check to see what prescriptions "you" have called in? I realize this is unlikely but medication fraud does happen still. 

Specializes in OB.
On 7/28/2021 at 10:58 AM, paramedic-RN said:

But if someone was doing that with your name, how would you know? Is there any database you can check to see what prescriptions "you" have called in? I realize this is unlikely but medication fraud does happen still. 

You wouldn't, there's no database like that (at least any state where I've ever  worked; that only exists for narcs).  I think that it probably hardly ever happens because laypeople don't know how to correctly call in a prescription without sounding suspicious.  But in theory, yes, it would be possible.

Someone technically could. I called in a script for a patient who needed access to a medication halfway across the state. It wasn’t a narcotic and as noted that method would never fly. Thankfully most people don’t understand the ins and outs of how we “call in” a script. Your lay person likely doesn’t even know what an NPI is or does. So overall those are slim. 

1 Votes
On 7/26/2021 at 7:57 PM, umbdude said:

Many states have e-prescribing requirements meaning that you cannot prescribe controlled substances with paper scripts (people also can't just 'call it in'). Rather, it must be done via 2-factor authentication.

You can also check prescription drug monitoring website and see who you prescribed to. Pharmacists also call if they suspect anything out of the ordinary.

Yep --- check your PMP often..... my state does not mandate e-script controlled substances and anything can be called in with the exception of Sch II which must be written or e-scribed... 

In reviewing my PMP log once there was a RX for Ambien for a pt that I knew I had denied just days earlier. When I followed up with the pharmacy, an employee at our clinic had called it in for this patient with no authorization. 

Could this exact same situation happen with other medications such as HTN meds, your Lexapro example, an employee calling in an antibiotic for one of their family members? yes it's possible and I'm sure it happens.. but if you spend your time worrying about it (1) you'll never get anything done and (2) you'll drive yourself insane. 

As mentioned --- the majority of the general population, while they know that we can "call" in medications, have no idea how to go about it and most employees are honest and will simply ask you.  

1 Votes
Specializes in Psychiatric/Mental Health, Med-Surg, Corrections.

As an RN I’ve called in scripts, including controlled substances once in a while, at work. So I’m not sure what would stop that honestly. Hopefully the pharmacy has some form of countermeasure. 

Specializes in Nurse Practitioner.

DEAs are not available online to my knowledge, at least never in the states that I have worked in.  

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