10 questions to identify drug-seeking patients
If you think a patient may be inappropriately asking you for drugs, consider the following questions:
- How often does this patient present?
- Has the patient told you that he has moved, but doesn't want you to talk to his previous doctor?
- Is the patient paying with cash?
- Does the person have a last known address?
- Have you had trouble contacting the patient between visits?
- Are your prescription pads disappearing?
- Does the patient say that only a particular drug will work, or that no other drug he has tried has worked?
- Does the patient refuse to go to one primary care physician?
- Does the patient frequently report losing medications?
- Does the patient demand drugs with high street value?
- Does the patient have prescriptions from multiple doctors or have prescriptions filled at multiple pharmacies?
- Is the patient cooperating with the full treatment plan—physical therapy, alternative medicines, etc.?
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